NEC Ukrenergo is working on a project to create its own research and development (R&D) office and expects to present its own vision of the office’s activities and tasks by the end of 2020.
“Ukrenergo has a consultation project with RTE International, and one of the cases of this project is to support us in creating R&D office of Ukrenergo. Now we are working on writing a roadmap, developing a structure, creating human resources, and formulating office’s tasks. I think that we will be able to present some specific developments by the end of the year,” Head of Strategic Planning and Analysis Division of NEC Ukrenergo Natalia Slobodian said during an online meeting at Energy Club on Thursday, April 30.
She said that R&D office will focus on solving the main problems in the energy system, optimizing the work taking into account changes in the economy, and quickly responding to challenges like those created now due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
“Ukrenergo has rather ambitious plans to follow national and global trends in creating leading and innovational products,” Slobodian said.
In her opinion, the benefits of state-owned companies from the creation of R&D offices are obvious, as concern for innovation increases the financial and investment attractiveness of enterprises, allows them to create highly intelligent jobs, and also makes the enterprises attractive to young professionals.
She also said that there is an opportunity to involve grant support for the work of such offices, and additional financial resources are not required for the commercialization of the products they create.
“There is no need to spend money on the commercialization of all the products that R&D offices make. They immediately test the products in market conditions and at once bring them to the market, creating demand in this way,” Slobodian said.
Ultimately, in her opinion, all efforts to introduce innovative technologies are aimed at improving the quality of customer service and providing them with additional opportunities. “The beneficial owner is a consumer by 100%. He gets a stable energy supply, cheap electricity and the opportunity to get market benefits via innovation,” Slobodian said.
