"When energy means security." How Ukrainian company RSE is creating autonomous energy during the war

In March 2022, one of the frontline communities lost power. Not for a few hours, but for a few days. Hospitals were not working, the pumping station stopped, there was no communication. In such conditions, autonomous energy is not a luxury, but a matter of survival. It was then that engineers came to this war. Not with slogans, but with solutions. Cogeneration plants of RSE s.r.o., founded by Ukrainian Andriy Grinenko in the Czech Republic, became one of the answers to the new reality.

In less than a year, RSE has put into operation more than 200 MW of autonomous capacity — from rural communities to the Kharkiv subway. In 2025, the company plans to increase this figure to 700 MW.

We talked to Andriy about why cogeneration is not just about energy, but about independence, speed and survival, and how technologies are creating a new infrastructure for Ukraine right now.

— Andriy, the war has become a challenge for everyone, but especially for the energy sector. You started working at a time when the system was literally falling apart. How did you manage not only to launch, but also to scale from scratch to hundreds of megawatts?

— We started at a time when everything was burning — both literally and figuratively. The Ukrainian energy system could not withstand the shelling. People were left without light, without heat, without communication. And we realized that now is the time for solutions, not concepts. We already had a full-fledged product: a mobile cogeneration unit that provides electricity and heat at the same time. And which can be installed in a few days.

It does not require long approvals, does not depend on the centralized network, is not afraid of shutdowns. We immediately entered with an engineering approach, logistics, service — with a full cycle. That's why it worked.

— Cogeneration is somewhat more than just energy. Why is it important right now, in the context of the war?

— The war showed that the centralized energy model is vulnerable. Missiles hit substations, thermal power plants, distribution hubs. And cogeneration is energy that is difficult to break. It is local, autonomous, flexible. And most importantly, it provides heat and light where it is critical.

Our installations operate in hospitals, enterprises, cities, even in the Kharkiv subway. This is not about comfort. It's about survival. Sometimes — literally.

— What is the horizon of using such solutions? Is it "for the duration of the war" or long-term?

— We don't make "patches". This is not a diesel that runs 500 hours and breaks down. Our installations are for 10+ years of operation. Engines are MWM, Germany. We are a key partner of MWM in Ukraine and Europe. This is reliable equipment that can withstand loads, voltage surges, extreme temperatures. And waste heat boilers allow you to use the heat of the exhaust — this is economy and efficiency.

— What makes RSE not just a supplier, but a partner? Why do people choose you?

— Because we don't sell "equipment", we solve the problem. We have our own engineering team, service, spare parts warehouses in Brno and Kyiv. We launch, service, and respond. In 2025, we will have 52 engineers in Ukraine — certified, with experience. This is a different depth.

— Who do you most often see among your customers?

— Everyone who cannot afford to stop. Farmers, pharmaceutical companies, logistics, medical institutions, cities. One of the most striking examples is the Kharkiv subway. In 2025, it ordered five of our installations with a capacity of 2.3 MW through Prozorro. We won the tender not because we had "connections", but because we were efficient.

— Do you also work with defense enterprises?

— Yes. And this is a separate, very responsible part of the work. Most projects are not advertised. But the bottom line is the same: without energy, production does not work. Welding does not work, equipment is not assembled, quality control is not carried out — which means there will be no supplies to the front. Our cogeneration plants are also a weapon. Just an engineering one.

— Is there a conflict between Ukrainian projects and exports? How do you balance between markets?

— We have a clear priority: Ukraine is first. RSE has a wide geography — Europe, Asia, Africa, Canada. But everything we do abroad is the export of technologies. The main efforts, production, service — are focused on Ukraine. We did not "flee" — we created an infrastructure that can work for our country. This is the principle.

— You are registered in the Czech Republic. Does this prevent you from positioning yourself as a Ukrainian company?

— We are formally a European company. But in essence — Ukrainian to the bone. The founder is Ukrainian. The team is Ukrainian. The products are for Ukraine. This is not a story about emigration, it is about technologies that work for their land.

— What is your vision for 2025 and beyond?

— Scaling. We are already expanding the plant in Brno, increasing the service team, and participating in large tenders. We strive to reach 700+ MW of installed capacity. But the main thing is to build a system that will work after the victory.

Because Ukraine must be strong not only for the duration of the war.

— And finally: how do you briefly explain what RSE is?

— It's not just energy. It's reliability, autonomy and security. Where our installation stands, there is light, there is heat, there is life. We don't put out fires — we create a system for decades.