Yuliia Okhota

The aim of the article is to theoretically substantiate and develop a comprehensive structural and functional model of biomethane transformation of the energy sector of Ukraine. The research is aimed at overcoming the existing fragmentation of scientific approaches by forming a holistic concept that ensures systematicity, sectoral coherence and adaptability of transformation processes within the framework of the global decarbonization strategy. Methodology. The study is based on a systems approach and tools of structural-functional analysis, which allowed interpreting the energy transformation as a complex socio-technical-economic system. To visualize synergistic effects, conceptual and spatial modeling methods were used, which provide a reflection of the interaction between key subsystems. The methodological basis was expanded by a comparative analysis of traditional and modern energy models, taking into account the transition to renewable energy sources. Special attention was paid to nonlinear relationships between subsystems, which allowed adapting the logic of the inter-sectoral model "input-output" by W. Leontief to explain the dynamic structural exchange of resources, capital and knowledge within the energy cluster. Results. A three-vector structural-functional model of biomethane transformation has been developed, which is based on the hierarchical interaction of institutional (regulatory "rules of the game"), economic (motivational and financial levers) and technological (production and infrastructure contour) components. It has been proven that the efficiency of transformation is nonlinear: any asymmetry in the development of subsystems – for example, technological renewal without institutional stability or financial incentives – levels the systemic result. It has been established that the critical condition for maximizing the integral effect is the spatial and temporal synchronization of the above factors, which allows for the formation of a sustainable energy ecosystem. At the same time, it is shown that the introduction of innovative technologies for cleaning and enriching biogas to the level of biomethane, as well as its integration into the existing gas transportation infrastructure, provide a multiplicative effect, which is manifested in increasing energy efficiency, diversifying energy sources and stimulating the development of related industries, primarily the agricultural sector of the economy. Practical implications. The proposed model forms a reliable conceptual basis for the development of effective state policies, investment programs and strategies for the post-war restoration of the energy sector of Ukraine. The practical application of the model will allow optimizing the regulatory environment, reducing investment risks and increasing the predictability of the functioning of the biomethane market. An important aspect is the possibility of using the model as a decision-making support tool for the development of public-private partnerships, which will contribute to the activation of investment activities and the acceleration of the implementation of innovative technologies. Value/Originality. The originality of the research lies in the departure from the fragmentary study of the «biomethane» transformation and the formation of a single concept that combines institutional, economic and technological aspects within a holistic model. The proposed approach expands the theoretical foundations of the study of energy transformations, substantiating them as a process of forming a new system of sustainable and renewable value creation. This allows us to consider biomethane not only as an alternative energy source, but also as a strategic resource for the structural modernization of the Ukrainian economy in the face of global climate challenges.

Introduction. Hostilities in Ukraine pose challenges to the agro-industrial complex, including contamination of agricultural land, logistical route complications for the sale of agricultural products, and labour resource shortages. These concerns negatively impact the economic activities of agricultural enterprises, as well as food and environmental security, in Ukraine and globally. To ensure the sustainable operation of agricultural enterprises, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive study of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) components to develop effective management strategies. Aim and tasks. This study aims to develop a comprehensive, economically justified, and flexible system of ESG indicators that can enhance the efficiency of integrating environmental, social, and governance components with the strategic aspects of an enterprise’s economic activity. Results. Using the hierarchy analysis method, a three-level model comprising target, criterion, and specific indicator levels was constructed to assess the impact of ESG factors on an enterprise’s operations. Calculating ESG indicators for the environmental component revealed the need to reduce CO₂ emissions and decrease the energy intensity. The social component exhibits a strong position in terms of wages and low injury rates, whereas it has a high staff turnover rate. An effective anti-corruption policy characterises the governance component, but there is insufficient implementation of digital management tools. The highest ROIC increase was observed when all the ESG components increased simultaneously. For example, a 0.14% increase in the environmental component (E) results in a combined increase of 0.50-0.63% with the social (S) and governance (G) components. The situation is similar for the social component, where a 10% increase leads to a 0.15% increase in ROIC. The governance component (G) demonstrates the most significant individual effect (0.16%), along with the environmental and social components, which increase by 0.62% and 0.63%, respectively. Conclusions. A comprehensive system of ESG performance indicators ensures the effectiveness of a company’s environmental, social, and corporate social responsibility, as well as its financial performance, competition, innovation, and sustainability. The three-level model enables the assessment of both the direct impact of each ESG component on the enterprise’s activities and their interactions, creating a synergistic effect on the agricultural sector.

The main aspects of the introduction of a cognitive approach to assessing and forecasting indicators of financial stability of the enterprises of the agro-industrial complex, which allows increasing the competitiveness of the enterprises in conditions of uncertainty, have been substantiated. The financial statements of enterprises were used, which allowed, on the basis of calculation of current liquidity, solvency, maneuverability of equity, provision of own working capital, financial leverage and autonomy, to determine the intervals of values for the analyzed indicators and parameters (vertices) of trapezoidal functions. The «Fuzzy Logic Toolbox» is used according to the algorithm of fuzzy output of the Mamdani software package «MATLAB») in order to construct the boundary of linguistic term-sets of evaluation criteria for processing inaccurate, incomplete or contradictory data, which is typical for real economic situations. A model for assessing the financial stability of the enterprises of the agro-industrial complex has been built, which is a matrix in which five qualitative levels («very low», «low», «medium», «high» and «very high») are the columns of the matrix, and the analyzed indicators are the rows of the matrix, their intersection, in turn, are the levels of belonging of quantitative levels of factors to certain qualitative classes. The membership levels in fuzzy subsets were calculated from the term set of variable values and the quantitative value of the aggregated indicator, which allowed linguistic recognition of the degree of financial stability of the enterprises of agro-industrial complex. A classifier of levels of the aggregate indicator is proposed, in order to substantiate the financial stability of the enterprises of the agro-industrial complex based on the correspondence of the calculated values to the conditions of stable or unstable state. The most significant factors of influence on the enterprises of the agro-industrial complex in the context of strengthening competitiveness and stability in the market during the construction of graph models of the first and second levels of determining the financial stability of enterprises of the agro-industrial complex in a dynamic environment have been identified.

The purpose of the article is to identify and scientifically substantiate the main directions of increasing the competitiveness of agro-industrial enterprises based on an adaptive mechanism for responding to changes in the operating environment, which will ensure their stability, efficiency and ability to long-term development in the face of modern challenges. Methodology. The methodological basis of the study, aimed at revealing and substantiating the problem of increasing the competitiveness of agro-industrial enterprises in the face of adaptive response to changes in the operating environment, is a set of general and special scientific methods. In particular, the monographic method was used – for in-depth study of the essence of the problem; logical-theoretical – for the formation of conceptual approaches; statistical and economic-mathematical – for quantitative analysis of trends and relationships; visualization methods – for a visual display of the results obtained; systems analysis - for a comprehensive assessment of influencing factors; logical generalization and abstraction - for the formation of conclusions and proposals. The information base for the study was official materials of the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, statistical yearbooks, as well as scientific publications and analytical developments of domestic and foreign scientists on the relevant topic. The results of the study showed that during 2020-2024, most enterprises in agriculture make a profit, and only a smaller number of enterprises have a loss from their activities. However, in 2022, the percentage of enterprises that have a loss increased from 11.3% to 21.5% compared to 2021. An analysis of the dynamics of the number of employed and hired workers at enterprises in agriculture in Ukraine for 2020-2024 allows us to conclude that there is a clear trend towards a reduction in the workforce during most of the analyzed period, with a further sign of stabilization at the final stage. It was also found that agricultural losses in the two years after the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into the territory of Ukraine reached 10.3 billion USD. Thus, in the face of such challenges, taking into account the results obtained, the authors proposed a number of directions that contribute to increasing the competitiveness of agro-industrial complex enterprises based on an adaptive mechanism. Practical implications. The authors identified a set of factors that influence the formation of the goals of the functioning of agribusiness enterprises, and the basic components of the adaptive mechanism for responding to changes in the environment of the functioning of agrarian enterprises with the characteristics of each component. It was suggested that agricultural producers also consider the goal of “ensuring and increasing their competitiveness” as the basis along with the goal of “obtaining profit”, and also substantiated the need to implement an adaptive mechanism by agricultural formations. In order to study changes in the environment of the functioning of the agricultural sector, a number of relevant indicators were analyzed, in particular, the economic efficiency of agricultural enterprises; the number of employed and hired workers at enterprises in agriculture; losses by category caused to agriculture after a full-scale invasion, etc. Based on the analysis, the authors formed the appropriate conclusions, on the basis of which factors were identified that influence the competitiveness of agribusiness enterprises. In particular, martial law and existing state support programs for agricultural producers were examined in more detail among these factors. Value / originality. The value of the research is that, taking into account the negative impact of the war on the functioning of agricultural enterprises and the preservation of their competitiveness, the authors, in addition to the main areas of increasing the competitiveness of agricultural enterprises based on the adaptive mechanism, separately listed areas of creating competitive advantages for these enterprises in the post-war recovery. In particular, such areas are: modernization and technological progress, product diversification, development of cooperation and agricultural associations, development of human capital, technologization of management and digitalization of agribusiness, sustainable resource management.

The article is dedicated to the study of the mechanisms for ensuring economic development in rural areas of Ukraine by promoting energy independence and intensifying biofuel production. The subject of the research is the use of renewable energy sources, in particular biomass, as a tool for achieving energy autonomy and economic stability of rural communities. This is especially relevant in conditions of energy dependence on imported energy carriers. The study examines biomass as a resource with significant potential to meet local energy needs, create additional jobs and stimulate economic growth in rural areas. The paper discusses key aspects of the use of renewable energy sources, particularly biomass, in agriculture as an effective tool for local economic development, reducing dependence on traditional energy resources and increasing the country's energy security. The purpose of this article is to study the mechanisms of economic development of rural areas through energy independence and development of the biofuel sector. To achieve this goal, the article discusses the theoretical aspects of energy independence, analyzes current practices of biofuel production, and provides recommendations for their further implementation. Particular attention is paid to the role of bioenergy in reducing environmental risks and implementing sustainable solutions in rural hromadas (communities). The study analyses international experience in the development of the bioenergy sector and its adaptation to Ukrainian conditions, taking into account the natural and economic characteristics of rural areas. Key factors that facilitate the effective implementation of biofuel production projects are identified, including innovation, investment and government support. The methodological basis of the study includes the application of methods of comparative analysis, systematisation and statistical data processing. This comprehensive approach enabled an in-depth analysis of the opportunities and limitations of bioenergy in Ukraine, in particular by comparing biomass use practices in developed countries and identifying effective strategies for the Ukrainian context. The article also discusses the prospects for improving the regulatory framework to create favourable conditions for bioenergy development, the need for infrastructure improvements and the involvement of local communities in renewable energy projects. The economic and social benefits to rural communities of implementing bioenergy solutions are examined separately. The study puts forward a series of proposals for the advancement of Ukraine's bioenergy sector. These include the enhancement of financing mechanisms and the promotion of private initiatives. Furthermore, the paper explores the potential of agricultural waste as a foundation for biofuel production. It is hypothesised that this could enhance the economic efficiency of the agricultural sector and reduce reliance on imported energy resources. The primary findings demonstrate that the development of biomass-based bioenergy has the potential to contribute significantly to the enhancement of economic stability and social well-being within rural hromadas. In order to implement energy independence in an effective manner, there is a necessity to improve the legislative framework, encourage investment in biomass storage and transportation infrastructure, and foster collaboration between local governments and state institutions. The implementation of these measures will facilitate a gradual transition of rural regions to sustainable economic development by reducing dependency on external energy sources and supporting local biofuel production.

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The modern agricultural sector is going through a period of intense transformation caused by both internal and external factors. In the context of active globalisation, business entities are forced to withstand fierce competition and therefore need to constantly adapt to the environment. This creates an urgent need for agribusiness enterprises to constantly improve their approaches and mechanisms of operation. Continuous adaptation requires flexibility, innovation and strategic thinking. Changes in the economic, political and technological landscape require businesses to respond quickly to new opportunities and challenges to ensure their competitiveness and sustainability. This constant process of adaptation is becoming a prerequisite not only for success, but also for survival in today's global business environment. The purpose of the article is to develop an innovative mechanism for improving the competitiveness of agribusiness enterprises. Methodology. The methodological basis of the study, which objectively reveals and substantiates the problem of increasing the competitiveness of agro-industrial enterprises using the model of the innovation mechanism, is based on such special and general scientific methods as: monographic, logical-theoretical, statistical and economic-mathematical, visualisation, system analysis, neural network modelling, logical generalisation, abstraction and conclusion formation. The information base of the study was formed by the materials of the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, statistical yearbooks, scientific developments of scientists on the defined topic, and financial statements of the studied enterprises. The subject and object basis of the study is the entrepreneurial activity of agricultural enterprises in Vinnytsia Oblast: Agricultural complex "Zelena Dolyna", PJSC "Dashkivtsi", LLC "Selyshchanske", FE "Yavir", FE "IRYNA – O.T". The results of the study have shown that the innovation mechanism, which consists in ensuring the management of innovative development of agribusiness enterprises, involves adjusting the business environment of an economic entity to achieve a cumulative effect from the efficient use of innovative and energy potentials. The paper emphasises that the cumulative effect means that the effect of the interaction of innovation and energy resources exceeds the simple effect of the impact of each of them separately. Practical implications. The authors calculated the indicators of competitiveness of the studied agricultural enterprises of Vinnytsia Oblast; assessed the level of innovation potential of these enterprises; determined the indicators of energy potential. On the basis of the obtained diagnostic results, a fuzzy knowledge base has been formed and a multicomponent decision-making system has been built for various combinations of values of the components of the innovation mechanism.

The article substantiates the close relationship between the functioning of enterprises of the agro-industrial complex (AIC) and the development of rural areas, which affects the development of the country’s economy as a whole. The system of indicators of efficiency of functioning of agricultural enterprises and development of rural areas has been studied in order to determine the effectiveness of current strategies. The theoretical foundations and methods for evaluating the efficiency of agricultural enterprises, including economic, social and environmental aspects, are considered. In the context of this issue, special attention is paid to competitiveness as an important indicator, which is the main feature that characterizes the availability and development of material, financial capabilities and is a prerequisite for the effective functioning of economic entities. An integrated approach to assessing the development of rural areas is also provided, which takes into account demographic indicators, socioeconomic indicators and indicators of quality of life. On the basis of the carried out analysis of the existing systems of indicators, their shortcomings have been identified and recommendations for their improvement have been proposed. In particular, the need to introduce integral indicators that take into account the sustainability of development, innovative technologies and social factors is emphasized. The main factors influencing the efficiency of functioning of enterprises of the AIC are suggested, in order to take them into account in the development of development strategies. As a result of the study, the impact of current strategies on the efficiency of the functioning of enterprises and the development of rural areas is assessed and it is found that in order to ensure sustainable development, it is necessary to regularly update the system of indicators and adapt strategies taking into account changes in the external environment. Practical recommendations for improving the effectiveness of these strategies are also provided.