Schneider Electric, a leader in digital transformation in the field of energy management and automation, and the OKKO filling station network have implemented a large-scale project for uninterrupted power supply and infrastructure reliability – 290 out of 410 filling stations of the network will be equipped with uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) with modern powerful batteries in 2022-2024, and in 2025 it is planned to equip another 50 filling stations of the network with the same UPS.
The equipment chosen by OKKO is designed to protect the power supply in the most unstable conditions. Schneider Electric lithium-ion UPS has a long service life without battery replacement (up to 12-15 years), long autonomy time with its compact dimensions and ease of maintenance.
“Even before the large-scale blackouts, OKKO started implementing a plan to modernize the corporate data network. We realized that we needed efficient equipment that would ensure the smooth operation of all vital filling station systems – cash registers, fuel dispensers, equipment providing Wi-Fi and other customer services. We started looking for the right powerful equipment, analyzing the world’s experience. The solution from Schneider Electric provided the result we needed. In fact, regardless of power outages at OKKO filling stations, customers will not face delays in payments or lack of Wi-Fi,” said Sergiy Lesko, CIO of OKKO.
“Schneider Electric has deep experience in technologies and practices that can improve energy efficiency and sustainability, understands and carefully studies the specific needs of each Ukrainian customer,” said Volodymyr Dokhlenko, Head of Secure Power at Schneider Electric in Ukraine, Czech Republic and Slovakia, ”As part of this project, our client received uninterrupted power supply to the filling station for up to 5 hours, as well as the preservation of critical data and round-the-clock monitoring of the UPS network.”
The UPS network monitoring system is provided by the equipment supplier. Thanks to predictive analytics of the UPS operation status and notifications about the need to replace it soon, service work is carried out in a timely manner, minimizing the risk of downtime.
About OKKO
The OKKO filling station network is one of the largest filling station networks in Ukraine (as of the beginning of 2025 – 410 filling stations). The company also has a network of on-the-go catering establishments, stationary and mobile laboratories for quality control of petroleum products, etc.
The company is one of the largest taxpayers in the fuel market. Based on the results of operations in 2024, the companies of OKKO Group paid a total of UAH 21.1 billion in taxes to the budget and state funds. This is UAH 5.6 billion, or 36%, more than in 2023.
About Schneider Electric
Schneider’s purpose is to create impact by empowering everyone to make the most of our energy and resources, ensuring progress and sustainability for all. We call it Life Is On.
Our mission is to be a trusted partner in sustainability and efficiency.
We are a global technology leader, bringing world-class expertise in electrification, automation and digitalization to smart industries, reliable infrastructure, future-proof data centers, smart buildings and intuitive homes. Drawing on our deep industry expertise, we provide integrated end-to-end AI-enabled industrial IoT solutions with connected products, automation, software and services, creating digital twins to drive profitable growth for our customers.
Ourmain resource is our 150,000 employees and more than a million partners operating in more than 100 countries to ensure proximity to our customers and stakeholders. We support diversity and inclusion in everything we do, guided by our meaningful purpose of a sustainable future for all.
Schneider Electric, a leading global expert in energy management and automation, has unveiled a range of innovative solutions to address pressing energy and sustainability issues using artificial intelligence. The innovations were presented at the International Conference on Digital Transformation and Sustainable Development held in Paris.
Some solutions included innovations such as:
EcoStruxure Energy Hub – an intelligent energy management platform that allows companies to monitor resource consumption in real time and optimize their use to reduce their carbon footprint.
AI-Powered Grid Manager – an energy grid management system that uses artificial intelligence to analyze data and predictive control to improve the resilience and reliability of energy systems.
Green Building Suite – building optimization software to improve energy efficiency and reduce operating costs.
Smart Charging Station System for Electric Vehicles – a solution that integrates charging infrastructure with power grids and increases the efficiency of renewable energy sources.
According to Mikhail Bubnov, CEO of Schneider Electric Ukraine, these technologies will soon be available on the Ukrainian market.
“We are proud that our solutions presented in the global arena will be available to Ukrainian customers in the near future. This will enable the introduction of advanced technologies for energy management and automation, contributing to the sustainable development of the country and improving energy efficiency,” said Mikhail Bubnov.
According to the company’s forecasts, the use of such solutions in the Ukrainian market will contribute to improved energy management, cost reduction and transition to more environmentally friendly energy sources. This is especially important in the context of current challenges associated with the global energy crisis and the need to adapt to the standards of sustainable development.
Schneider Electric is a global leader in energy management and automation. The company develops integrated solutions for energy efficiency and sustainability, driving digital transformation across industries. With more than 180 years of history, Schneider Electric continues to innovate to create a sustainable future. Schneider Electric began its operations in Ukraine in 1994, opening representative offices in Kiev, followed by Donetsk, Mykolaiv and Lviv. In 2000, Schneider Electric Ukraine LLC was established with a commercial structure and warehouse, which allowed the company to strengthen its presence in the Ukrainian market and provide customers with a wide range of solutions in the field of energy management and automation.
Insurers in 2024 will focus on increasing investment in private markets, clean energy infrastructure and innovative technologies. According to the Reinsurance News website, this is according to the 13th annual Global Insurance Report by asset management company BlackRock.
For the third consecutive year, the report found that the majority of insurers plan to increase private market allocations, with 91% of respondents indicating they will do so in the next two years.
That figure reaches 96% for insurers in Asia Pacific and North America. The report is based on information from 410 insurance investors in 32 markets managing approximately $27 trillion in assets.
“With 2024 expected to be a landmark election year, insurers are increasingly concerned about how political uncertainty could impact macroeconomic risks, citing regulatory changes (68%) and rising geopolitical tensions and fragmentation (61%) as top concerns,” the report notes.
In addition, market risks such as interest rate volatility (69%) and liquidity problems (52%) were identified as critical.
Despite these challenges, 74% of insurers have no plans to change their current risk profiles. Many insurers cited the value of partnerships in improving their internal expertise for risk assessment and portfolio management, with 40% of respondents emphasizing that an investment partner that understands both their insurance business and operating model is critical to achieving their strategic goals.
In the public markets, 42% of insurers plan to increase investments in government and agency bonds, while 33% focus on inflation-linked bonds, as 46% view inflation as a significant macroeconomic risk. In addition, 44% of insurers are looking to increase their holdings in cash and short-term instruments to maintain liquidity.
BLACKROCK, clean energy, INNOVATION, INSURERS, INVESTMENT, private markets
Ukraine does not yet have resources for creating its own innovative drugs, the development is demonstrated by generic production, Dmytro Shymkiv, the chairman of the board of directors of Darnitsa Group, has said.
“For the production of innovative drugs, we need appropriate research and development and patent protection of intellectual property not only in Ukraine, but also globally. And we also need the ability to raise from $ 1 billion and have at least 8-10 years of time. The availability of such resources in Ukraine is not yet discussed,” he said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.
At the same time, he noted that “the generic market is also showing development, new combination drugs are being created and the existing lines are actively expanding.”
In addition, Shymkiv believes that “the Ukrainian pharmaceutical sector will not be able to cover all the needs for medicines,” therefore, there can be no talk of 100% import substitution.
“Refusal to import can be considered in those segments where Ukrainian companies can and are already producing drugs,” he said.
Commenting on the possibility of reviving vaccine production in Ukraine, Shymkiv stressed that “vaccine production is, first of all, issues of public-private partnership.”
“We studied the possibility of launching vaccine production. Everything causes the question: who is the customer. If the state guarantees the purchase, then we will have a Ukrainian plant using the best technologies. And Darnitsa is ready to invest in this. Invest where there are no guarantees of public procurement is too risky,” he said.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has said that today Ukraine is a very strong player in the field of innovation, and the Ukrainian IT sector shows an increase of about 20% annually. “We need to increase dynamic growth, and we need new investments for this goal. Of course, we need new technologies and not only technologies that we can borrow, but I think that many people will agree that today Ukraine is a very strong player in the field of innovation,” he said at the Kyiv International Economic Forum on Thursday. The premier added that in the innovation sector, the country is showing dynamic growth, in particular, a significant increase is shown by the IT sector – about 20% annually.
“We understand that new technologies are in conflict with the number of jobs,” Groysman added.
At the same time, he stressed that in Ukraine there are sectors where new jobs are created, and official unemployment in the country is falling.
The premier also predicted a shortage of labor in the future.
Groysman noted that there are areas in Ukraine that have the 10-12-fold potential for growth, which allows it to be quite competitive in investment.
