- Kyiv-based Professor Borys Basok is working with Aston University researchers on a heat pump system for Ukraine’s extreme winters
- The heat pumps generate four times more heat in winter than conventional systems for more fuel-efficient heating
- The two-year project has received UK government funding under the first round of InnovateUkraine.
A top Ukrainian scientist has thanked Aston University experts for their support developing revolutionary heat pump technology to help his country during the war with Russia.
Kyiv-based Professor Borys Basok is working with the University’s researchers on a new heat pump system specially designed to deal with Ukraine’s extreme winters, where temperatures plummet as low as -21°C. The pioneering technology can easily be retrofitted to existing Soviet-style heating systems – providing a green fuel solution in response to Russia’s targeting of the country’s energy infrastructure.
The University has been working with Professor Basok and his team at the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in Kyiv. The UK researchers have helped adapt heat pump technology to generate four times more heat in winter than Ukraine’s conventional systems.
The devices can also be powered by diesel generators during power blackouts meaning they could be used to provide more fuel-efficient warmth to Ukrainian soldiers and the estimated 3.7mn people who have been forced to flee their homes during the conflict.
The two-year project has received UK Government funding under the first round of InnovateUkraine, a £16m clean energy competition run by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The project aims to support Ukraine while generating growth and jobs in line with the government’s ‘plan for change’.
Professor Basok said: “The heat pump we are developing with Aston University can help Ukraine fight back against Russia’s weaponisation of energy. This project offers a cheaper, more fuel-efficient way to heat our people during our extreme winters – to ensure they have the resilience to defend ourselves against the Russian invaders.
“These heat pumps can play a crucial role in combating spiking energy prices to free up extra resources which can be better used for Ukraine’s war effort. This support from Aston University and the UK government is also ensuring a brighter future for Ukraine by enabling us to rebuild our country in a greener way.”
Leading the project for Aston University is reader Dr Muhammad Imran in the School of Engineering and Innovation. He said: “We have specifically designed a heat pump that suits the Ukrainian needs during wartime. Most Ukrainian buildings and infrastructure use old Soviet-style radiative heaters made of cast iron so we need a heat pump that can generate 70-75°C to offer users appropriate warmth during the country’s severe winters.
“We’ve created a plug-and-play solution which uses a quarter less power and can be directly connected to the existing radiators that are so prevalent in Ukraine. The Russians are continually targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, so we have also adapted our heat pump technology to work off diesel generators during power blackouts. It can run off diesel six times more efficiently and cheaper than conventional alternatives.
“Lots of families have lost their main wage earner to the frontline of this war, so heat pumps offer the chance for families to have heating with far lower costs. Huge groups of displaced communities need help with heating. Reducing the energy demands will enable Ukraine to channel more resource back into its war effort.”
A prototype is now up and running at the institute in Kyiv. The 120kilowatt heat pump is already supplying energy to 50-80 offices – around a quarter of the building. It’s hoped the successful trial launch will see the technology start to be rolled out across Ukraine.
Dr Imran added: “Many of our video calls with Professor Basok and our partners in Ukraine come to an abrupt end due to air raid warnings or power outages. It serves as a constant reminder of the suffering of people living in the country we are trying to help.
“Developing something which is useful for the people of Ukraine at their time of need is really rewarding. People need cheaper and more efficient power so I feel I am contributing positively to the country’s war effort as they battle against an illegal invasion.
“The legacy of this work will last far longer than the war. It also offers Ukraine a long-term solution to its energy needs as it rebuilds from the war. We can decarbonise the country as it bounces back to also help Ukraine win the battle against climate change.”
Professor Basok has remained in Ukraine - determined to see through the project to help his country’s stand against Russia. He explained: “This project has helped me focus on something that is an important contribution to Ukraine because people need energy. We are under constant bombardment. We are feeling stressed, we are feeling fear, we are feeling indignation that this is happening to our country because people are dying every day.
“Every Ukrainian now has lost someone during this time of terror – either family or friends or people they knew. I have five grandchildren. We were directly on the path the Russians took as the launched their assault on Kyiv following the invasion in 2022. My eldest daughter’s family miraculously escaped through fields with crops to Poland after the area where they live was occupied by Russian troops. My house is riddled with bullet holes and shrapnel damage after we found ourselves under constant artillery fire. There were Russian planes flying overhead.
“My family and I were not sleeping in our beds but in the corridor where the walls were strongest so that if a bomb hit, we had more chance of surviving. One of the scariest moments of the whole war was about a month ago when we suffered a mass attack on Kyiv and almost every district was hit by bombs. My colleague’s house was right next to where one of the bombs hit. This is why the UK’s unwavering support for Ukraine is so important. Together with Aston University, we are creating a wonderful heating system that meets the needs of the Ukrainian people at one of the toughest times in our history.”
The InnovateUkraine funding for Aston University is part of the government’s aim to secure a just and lasting peace for the country against Russian aggression. The projects funded by the FCDO are using the best British expertise to support Ukraine with its energy needs, as part of the 100 Year Partnership that the prime minister Keir Starmer announced earlier this year.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: “This government is proud to be harnessing cutting- edge innovations from businesses and universities right across the UK, to help Ukraine rebuild from Russia’s illegal invasion greener and more resilient than ever before.
“The InnovateUkraine challenge fund is a powerful demonstration of the UK’s unbreakable support for Ukraine as we work towards securing a just and lasting peace for the country against Russian aggression.
“The 100 Year Partnership with Ukraine is a vital part of the UK government’s ‘plan for change’ – helping boost security and growth in a sustainable way for both countries for generations to come.”
- Notes to editors
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The UK will spend £4.5bn this year in military aid to support Ukraine – more than ever before.
UK sanctions have denied Russia access to $450bn and resulted in a 27% reduction in energy revenues to ensure Putin’s war economy is crumbling.
Since 2022, the UK has committed £400 million in grants and guarantees to support the recovery and transformation of Ukraine’s energy sector.About the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
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