On April 14–16, 2026, the Departments of Power Supply of the Institute of Energy Saving and Energy Management and Thermal and Alternative Energy of the Institute of Nuclear and Thermal Energy at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute jointly held the first stage of the All-Ukrainian Student Olympiad in the discipline of Energy Management.
The competition was conducted online in a synchronous format for students specializing in 141 Electrical Power Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Electromechanics and 144 Thermal Power Engineering. The Olympiad has been held on a regular basis, and this year marked its 20th anniversary.
The event brought together talented students and faculty members from higher education institutions across Ukraine that train specialists in energy efficiency and energy management, as well as industry partners and stakeholders.
A total of 41 students representing 15 Ukrainian higher education institutions registered to participate. The participants included third- and fourth-year students from Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute; Dnipro University of Technology; Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic National University; Kyiv Aviation Institute; Vinnytsia National Technical University; National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine; Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design; Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University of Oil and Gas; Mykhailo Ostrohradskyi Kremenchuk National University; Odesa Polytechnic National University; Ivan Puluj Ternopil National Technical University; Cherkasy State Technological University; National Technical University "Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute"; Khmelnytskyi National University; and Central Ukrainian National Technical University (Kropyvnytskyi).
At the opening ceremony, the participants were welcomed by Olena Borychenko, Head of the Department of Power Supply at the Institute of Energy Saving and Energy Management, and Vitalii Peshko, Head of the Department of Thermal and Alternative Energy, together with faculty representatives from higher education institutions across Ukraine who were responsible for organizing the Olympiad.
The jury noted the participants' high level of preparation in energy management, particularly their ability to solve problems in both the electrical power engineering and thermal power engineering fields, with a strong focus on energy conservation, energy management, and the implementation of renewable and alternative energy sources.
The Olympiad included the main competition, a creative challenge organized by industry stakeholders, and four webinars delivered by leading organizations in the field of energy efficiency: the Association of Energy Auditors of Ukraine, Viessmann Ukraine, the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), and iC Consulenten Ukraine.
In their presentations, the partners emphasized that the very concept of supplying the country with electricity and heat is undergoing profound change, with modern technologies for energy generation—including distributed generation—as well as energy transmission and storage becoming increasingly important. The stakeholders also noted the steadily growing demand for graduates of energy-related programs, as the recovery, reconstruction, and modernization of engineering systems using modern energy-efficient technologies require a large number of highly qualified specialists.
The award ceremony took place on April 16. In the 141 Electrical Power Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Electromechanics category, the winners were Hanna Rudiak from the Educational and Research Institute of Energy Saving and Energy Management at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (1st place), Oleh Oliinyk from Odesa Polytechnic National University (2nd place), Viktor Tovstiuk from the Central Ukrainian National Technical University, Kropyvnytskyi (2nd place), Kostiantyn Overchenko from Khmelnytskyi National University (3rd place), Anastasiia Melnyk from the State University "Kyiv Aviation Institute" (3rd place), and Mykola Klymenko from Mykhailo Ostrohradskyi Kremenchuk National University (3rd place). In the 144 Heat Power Engineering category, the first prize was awarded to Daryna Knyovets from the Educational and Research Institute of Energy Saving and Energy Management at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, the second prize to Oleksii Chervonyi from the National Technical University "Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute", and the third prizes to Nataliia Shyroka and Maksym Kovalenko, both from the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine (Kyiv).
The jury also presented Activity and Creativity awards to Mykola Hrybonos (Odesa Polytechnic National University), Maksym Prytula (Ivan Puluj Ternopil National Technical University), Taisiia Kibysh (Cherkasy State Technological University), Mykola Kulbaba (Ivan Puluj Ternopil National Technical University), and Anton Ihlinskyi (Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design).
In addition to the main competition, participants had the opportunity to demonstrate their skills by completing creative tasks and solving real-world business cases.
As part of the Olympiad, the Energy Auditors Association of Ukraine (EAAU) organized a special competition in which participants were challenged to develop an optimal backup power supply system, including the appropriate capacity and component configuration, capable of providing electricity during an eight-hour outage. The winners of the competition—Hanna Rudiak from Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (1st place), Kostiantyn Overchenko from Khmelnytskyi National University and Viktor Tovstiuk from the Central Ukrainian National Technical University (shared 2nd place)—received valuable professional prizes, including a thermal imaging camera and infrared thermometers, which will support their future work in the field of energy efficiency.
DTEK Renewables prepared a special practical challenge addressing one of the most pressing issues in renewable energy—the development of a hypothetical 75 MW wind farm. Engineering managers from DTEK Renuables carefully evaluated the submissions and selected three prize winners who demonstrated the most original and technically sound solutions. Two students shared first place: Kostiantyn Overchenko (Khmelnytskyi National University, Khmelnytskyi) and Anastasiia Melnyk (National University "Kyiv Aviation Institute", Kyiv). Second place was awarded to Olha Klimchuk from the National University "Kyiv Aviation Institute".
The creative challenge sponsored by Viessmann focused on hybrid energy supply systems for buildings. The winners were Kostiantyn Overchenko from Khmelnytskyi National University (1st place) and a representative of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine (Kyiv) (2nd place).
The Olympiad jury presented diplomas to the winners, who also received valuable prizes provided by the event's partners and sponsors.
For their active participation throughout the Olympiad, two students—Vitalii Luchko from Khmelnytskyi National University and Anton Ihlinskyi from Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design—received a special award: a fully funded study visit organized by iC Consulenten Ukraine to gain firsthand experience with the verification of energy efficiency projects.
The organizers express their sincere gratitude to the event's stakeholders: DTEK Renewables, the Energy Auditors Association of Ukraine, the Center for Efficient Energy Use, Viessmann, Wilo Ukraine, iC Consulenten Ukraine, E-NEXT, JUNG, Phoenix Contact, and GIZ.