For the first time since the start of the full-scale war, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has provided the Kernel agricultural holding with $45 million in financing for a renewable energy project. The decision was approved by the bank’s Board of Directors and signed during the Ukraine-EU Business Summit in Brussels.
According to a statement from Kernel’s Communications, PR, and GR Department, the total cost of the project is estimated at $86 million. In addition to the EBRD, negotiations are ongoing with other international lenders, and Kernel will finance the remaining investment. The European Union will provide partial coverage of the first-loss risk under the Investment Facility for Ukraine (UIF).
The project involves the construction of a 106 MW solar power plant (SPP) in southern Ukraine and the installation of energy storage systems. The facility is expected to generate approximately 141 GWh of electricity from renewable sources annually and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 82,500 tons. Once the transmission line is completed, the plant will be integrated into Ukraine’s Unified Energy System (UES) and will supply “green” electricity to the domestic market.
“The development of ‘green’ energy is one of Kernel’s key investment priorities. Today, Ukraine is acutely feeling a shortage of power generation, as large facilities remain vulnerable to attacks. Our response to these challenges is the development of distributed generation, particularly solar and wind power, as well as the implementation of energy storage systems. Connecting new capacity to the power grid is Kernel’s contribution to the stability and energy security of the entire country,” said Kernel CEO Yevgen Osipov.
Overall, Kernel’s strategy involves building a portfolio of green energy projects with a total capacity of up to 600 MW. The expected investment in this area is approximately $400 million.
The Ukraine Investment Framework (UIF) is an investment mechanism under the EU’s €50 billion Ukraine Facility program, aimed at rebuilding and modernizing Ukraine’s economy. Under the UIF, EBRD financing is backed by EU guarantees through the HI-BAR program, which reduces risks for investors and helps attract funding for renewable energy and climate technology projects.
Kernel Agri-Holding is the world’s largest producer and exporter of sunflower oil, Ukraine’s largest grain exporter, an operator of an extensive network of logistics assets, and a leading producer of grains and oilseeds in Ukraine. It is one of the largest producers and sellers of bottled oil in Ukraine. It is engaged in the cultivation and sale of agricultural products.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) plans to launch a non-funding risk-sharing instrument with Ukrsibbank (Kyiv) worth the equivalent of EUR104 million to cover 50% of the risk on new loans.
As noted on the EBRD website, the project includes three sub-limits: EUR80 million under the Resilience and Livelihood Guarantees (RLG) product, EUR4 million under the Energy Security Support Facility (ESSF), and EUR20 million under the EU4Business-EBRD credit line with incentives.
The largest sub-limit under the RLG program is intended to finance the working capital and investment needs of Ukrainian private businesses in key economic sectors to support their operational resilience.
Under the ESSF, support will be provided to sectors critical to the country’s energy security, with priority given to homeowners and homeowners’ associations investing in residential renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in Ukraine.
The EU4Business-EBRD incentive-based credit line is designed to support long-term investments by small and medium-sized enterprises in modernization to EU standards, with at least 70% of this sub-limit directed toward sustainable and “green” technologies. Program participants will also be able to receive technical assistance and grant support upon completion of investment projects
The project is in the preliminary review stage, with approval expected on May 14, 2026.
According to the regulator, as of March 1, 2026, the bank ranked 8th (UAH 190.06 billion) among 58 solvent banks in Ukraine in terms of total assets. The bank’s net loan portfolio decreased by 1.7% over the first two months of 2026, to UAH 17.0 billion.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) plans to provide a loan of up to $45 million (equivalent to EUR 38 million) to Energy RTB 2 LLC, a subsidiary of the Kernel Group, the bank announced on its website.
“The project is expected to be co-financed by a parallel loan of up to $10 million,” the statement said.
The bank has completed its final review of the project, and approval by the Board of Directors is expected.
The project is expected to receive partial first-loss risk coverage from the European Union under the Ukraine Investment Facility (UIF).
“This program promotes the ‘green’ transition of the Ukrainian economy by supporting sustainable investment in green urban infrastructure, the greening of logistics chains, energy efficiency, and the transfer of ‘green’ technologies in industrial processes, commercial activities, and construction,” the EBRD explained.
The program also provides support to companies directly affected by the military conflict to ensure rapid recovery and resilience to the consequences of the ongoing war.
As reported with reference to Kernel CEO Yevgen Osipov, the company intends to invest approximately $400 million in the energy sector over the next two years,
“We have made a strategic decision to enter the energy sector. Our liquidity is one of the components of these new investments. We already implemented a $20 million pilot project last year, and over the next two years we plan to invest $400 million in this area,” he said.
According to Osipov, the company is planning large-scale projects in wind and solar power generation, as well as energy storage systems (ESS) with a total capacity of about 600 MW. Currently, the holding company is in the process of securing financing from international financial institutions, including the EBRD.
In January 2026, during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Osipov announced Kernel’s strategic goal of becoming a leading player in the green energy sector. At that time, the company confirmed the implementation of its first pilot 20-MW solar power plant project and plans to build a 250-MW solar power plant in the Chernivtsi region.
Kernel Agricultural Holding is the world’s largest producer and exporter of sunflower oil, Ukraine’s largest grain exporter, an operator of an extensive network of logistics assets, and a leading producer of grains and oilseeds in Ukraine. It is one of the largest producers and sellers of bottled oil in Ukraine. It is also engaged in the cultivation and sale of agricultural products.
In the first half of fiscal year 2026 (FY, July–December 2025), Kernel reduced its net profit by 33% compared to the same period in 2025, to $119 million. Consolidated revenue amounted to $1.924 billion, which is 1% less than in the first half of FY 2025. EBITDA fell by 14% to $247 million.
Oschadbank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) have signed a letter of mandate regarding the preparation and implementation of a new risk-sharing facility to support Ukrainian businesses with a financing portfolio of up to €510 million, the state-owned bank announced on Monday.
The document was signed in London following a meeting between Oschadbank CEO Yuriy Katsion and EBRD Managing Director and Head of Financial Institutions Francis Malige on the sidelines of the “Pathways to Paris 2026” conference.
“To date, the total financing limit under the risk-sharing programs implemented by Oschadbank with the EBRD since early 2024 has reached EUR300 million,” Katsion noted.
Under the new instrument, the EBRD may assume up to 70% of the credit risk for individual transactions.
The program is intended to support businesses that have suffered losses or damage as a result of the war, relocated businesses, companies contributing to economic recovery, as well as businesses owned by veterans, internally displaced persons, and women-led enterprises.
The parties agreed to continue working on structuring the program and finalizing the parameters of further cooperation.
Oschadbank serves approximately 6 million active customers and is the leader in corporate lending with a market share of about 14%. As of February 1, 2026, the bank’s loan portfolio stood at UAH 127.5 billion.
According to National Bank data, as of February 1, 2026, Oschadbank ranked second (UAH 494.51 billion) in terms of net assets among 60 banks.
As reported, in 2025 the EBRD allocated EUR2.9 billion in financing, including EUR504 million under portfolio risk-sharing programs, which facilitated new lending by Ukrainian partner financial institutions totaling up to EUR1.6 billion.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is building a portfolio of private investments in renewable energy and battery energy storage systems (BESS) in Ukraine for 2026, with a total capacity of over 1 GW.
“The EBRD is building a portfolio for 2026 and plans to support such transactions as early as this year,” the EBRD’s Ukraine Facebook page reported on March 24.
Specifically, the EBRD plans to attract investors to projects involving the construction of approximately 570 MW of wind power plants, 240 MW of solar generation, and 230 MW of storage systems.
“All these projects are private investments. As Arvid Türkner, the EBRD’s Head of Operations in Ukraine and Moldova, emphasizes, private sector participation is critical,” the statement noted.
As the EBRD emphasized, this is precisely why RAMP UP was created—a joint initiative of the EBRD and the World Bank that stabilizes revenues from renewable energy and unlocks large-scale private investment.
“The goal is to accelerate the sector so that Ukraine’s potential can be harnessed as soon as conditions improve. The first auctions are expected in 2026,” the bank states.
The Council of Europe Development Bank (CEDB) has granted Ukraine additional loans: 100 million euros for the HOME program to compensate citizens for housing destroyed by the war, as well as 20 million euros to support microenterprises and small farms in Ukraine.
As reported by the Ministry of Finance on Wednesday, the relevant decision was adopted by the EBRD’s Administrative Council on March 16–17, in a joint meeting with the Governing Board attended by Deputy Minister Olga Zykova.
The HOME program is implemented through a state-run housing certificate mechanism, which allows citizens whose homes were destroyed as a result of Russian aggression to receive compensation for the purchase of new housing. Using the previously provided and fully utilized €200 million, 3,774 housing units were purchased for over 13,000 Ukrainians, who received new housing.
“As of early 2026, over 98,000 applications for compensation for destroyed housing have been submitted, indicating a massive need to restore the housing stock. Additional funding will allow us to support another 3,000 families and extend the program’s implementation until June 30, 2028,” the Ministry of Finance noted.
As for the €20 million, this program will be implemented through the National Development Agency (formerly the Entrepreneurship Development Fund), which will provide financing through partner banks and credit unions. The program’s total funding also includes a €4.6 million EU investment grant under the Ukraine Investment Framework, €0.23 million in technical assistance, and a €3 million EBRD grant to cover currency risks.
The program is aimed at supporting entrepreneurs affected by the war, internally displaced persons, veterans, women entrepreneurs, youth, people with disabilities, and small farms, the Ministry of Finance clarified.
It is expected that at least 50% of the €20 million in funding will be directed toward vulnerable groups, and 30% of the investments will go toward energy-efficient and sustainable projects.
