Stakeholders unveil programs in support of the Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) Initiative

NEW YORK, 27 November 2013 - During a meeting of the Advisory Board members of the Sustainable Energy for All convened by co-chairs United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and World Bank Group President, Jim Yong Kim, at the United Nations Head Quarters in New York, major stakeholders including international organizations, governments, private and civil society unveiled programs in support of the initiative as noted in the annex below. SPECIFIC SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FOR ALL INITIATIVES INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS African Development Bank   The African Development Bank in partnership with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the NEPAD Planning and Coordination Agency (NPCA) and with support of United Nations Development Program (UNDP) hosts the SEforALL Africa Hub. The mission of the SEforALL Africa Hub is to coordinate and facilitate the implementation of the SEforALL initiative on the African continent in line with the resolution of the Conference of Energy Ministers of Africa of November 2012. The Hub will promote African ownership, inclusiveness and a comprehensive approach to the Initiative’s implementation.   The Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) is one of Bank’s vehicles to assist SEforALL. SEFA was transformed into a multi-donor facility with an initial USD 5 million commitment from Obama’s Power Africa Initiative (through USAID) as part of a multi-year engagement complementing an initial contribution of the Government of Denmark of USD 56 million. SEFA allows the Bank to scale-up its engagement in the small to medium-sized renewable energy and energy efficiency space. SEFA operates through three components: (i) grants to facilitate the preparation of medium-scale renewable and energy efficiency projects; (ii) equity investments to bridge the financing gap for small and medium scale renewable energy generation projects and (iii) support to public sector in improving the enabling environment for private investments in sustainable energy. Since its inception, SEFA has played a key role in structuring the first truly Pan-African private equity fund in renewable energy (AREF), for which it will also be an anchor investor with USD 35m (25m equity investment and 10m technical assistance facility)   The African Development Bank Board approved on 13 November 2013 anchor investment of USD 25m from SEFA, USD 25m from AfDB and USD 5m from GEF for the Africa Renewable Energy Fund (AREF): the first private equity fund to invest in IPPs projects across Sub-Saharan Africa which will target RE projects in the 5-50 MW range across hydro, wind, solar, biomass, geothermal and stranded gas technologies. The target fund size is in the USD 150-200 million range with first close planned by the end of 2013.   AfDB is currently developing the Africa 50 Fund, which aims to help close the infrastructure gap in Africa by delivering infrastructure projects amounting to a total of US$100 billion financed from both private and public sources. Energy projects, including those that were identified by the African Heads of State as priority projects in the Program for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) will be at the forefront. The Fund was endorsed by the major African institutions in July.   Information: Daniel Schroth at D.Schroth@afdb.org   World Bank Group & Energy Sector Management Assistance Program   Technical Assistance for Country Action The World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) is launching a technical assistance program to support 10 countries participating in the Sustainable Energy for All as they develop plans to scale up energy access. ESMAP is engaging governments to allocate resources, and reform policies and regulations to enable enhanced private sector participation in this effort. Parallel discussions with donors and development agencies will set up a consortium that also includes private companies and investors to pool financing to implement programs. Each country plan will include:

• a review of the country’s existing programs, policies and institutions
• a mapping of energy resources
• a financing component, including a review of key barriers to investment
• a monitoring and evaluation framework.

  Support for Geothermal Power The Clean Technology Fund (CTF) approved $115 million for the Utility Scale Renewable Energy Program,  to support private sector engagement in exploratory geothermal test drilling undertaken by the World Bank’s Global Geothermal Development Plan, which brings together donors and multilateral lenders around an international investment plan to scale up geothermal power in the developing world.  Led by the Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), the $115 million program will support projects in Turkey, Chile, Mexico, and Indonesia. The program is open for additional pledges from donors to expand coverage.   Energy Efficient Cities The World Bank’s ESMAP has launched a City Energy Efficiency Transformation Initiative (CEETI), which will work with city governments to facilitate promising energy efficiency investments, match cities with sources of financing, and build the capacity of officials to get projects off the ground.  The initial three-year phase of the initiative will work with up to 50 cities to achieve substantial cost and energy savings through efficiency projects. The initiative, announced at Barcelona’s Smart City Expo World Congress this month, is financed with $9 million from ESMAP, working in collaboration with the World Bank’s Information and Communication Technologies Unit, and the World Bank Institute.   Renewable Energy Mapping Initiative To scale up renewable electricity generation, the World Bank’s ESMAP has launched a major effort to support country‐level resource mapping and geospatial planning for biomass, small hydropower, solar, and wind resources. By providing governments and the private sector with better information on the location and commercial viability of potential areas for development, this program will help mobilize new investments in renewable energy. By working closely with international partners, ESMAP also hopes to improve the quality and availability of global datasets on renewable energy resources.   Information: Christopher Neal, World Bank Group, 202-473-2049, cneal1@worldbank.org   United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Hub for Bottom-Up Energy Solutions UNDP intends to create a HUB for Bottom Up Energy Solutions (BUES) to advance the SEforALL Country Actions Agenda. Building on two decades of experience in implementing decentralized, off-grid energy solutions, UNDP will work through its network of regional and country offices to support the scaling up of business models and financing solutions.  Income generating opportunities, gender, social issues and the integration of energy solutions in sector policies and national development plans will be hallmarks of this approach. The HUB will facilitate the development and implementation of BUES and assist in building coalitions and momentum for scaled-up action that goes beyond the energy sector itself to accelerate the achievement of SEforALL goals.    Information: Olav Kjorven at olav.kjorven@undp.org Office of the High Representative for the LDCS, LLDCS and SIDS (UN-OHRLLS)   Less-Developed and Small Island States Back Sustainable Energy Agenda A summit on energy of LDC and small island states’ heads of state and governments in September concluded with a Co-Chairs’ Communiqué, Our Common  Action  Agenda to Promote Sustainable Energy in the Least Developed Countries, which calls for cooperation to establish a common global  goal  on  energy  as  part  of the Post-2015 Development Agenda, and for prioritizing the special needs of Least Developed Countries.   Information: Rita Ruohonen, Office of the High Representative for the LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS +1-212 9631804, ruohonen@un.org   European Union   EU Agenda for Change supports SEforALL The Agenda for Change allows the EU to strongly support the objectives of Sustainable Energy for All, with a comprehensive set of actions backed by more than half a billion euro. These include:

• the EU technical assistance facility of 65 million euro assists partner countries in refining their policies to attract the necessary private investments;
• 400 million euro are allocated to energy infrastructure projects in sub-Saharan Africa, through blending, to leverage investments of 4-8 billion euro;
• 50 million euro have been allocated to engage with eu finance institutions and private financiers for riskier projects;
• a 20 million euro EU Sustainable Energy for All Window of the Global Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Fund (GEEREF) is ready to blend EU funds with those of other investors. The EU encourages partners to join the GEEREF SEforALL window;
• a call for proposals for 55 million euro attracted proposals to provide access to electricity services to more than four million people and total project investments worth more than 1.2 billion euro. All these proposals are ready for other partners joining the EU. A further action of 15 million euro targets countries in fragile situations. These efforts will be further reinforced in about 25 countries that have proposed energy as a focal sector for their bilateral cooperation with the EU.

  Information: Philippe Latriche, Delegation of the EU to the UN, +1-212-401-0136, http://www.europa-eu-un.org/   African Trade Insurance Agency (ATI) Scaling up access to energy and renewables in Africa ATI will encourage investments by reducing political, economic and commercial risks associated with investments in energy projects. ATI commits to facilitating investments valued at $20 billion in renewable energy projects that will help its 10 member countries in Sub-Saharan Africa reach their energy objectives.   Information: Sherry Kennedy, + 254 719 014 209, sherry.kennedy@ati-aca.org   OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) $1 Billion Energy for the Poor Initiative OFID’s Energy for the Poor Initiative, launched in 2008, has provided since January 2012 financing of almost $1 billion for 32 energy access projects, 10 of which involved renewable energy-based electricity generation and distribution. In June 2013, in order to provide sustainable funding to OFID energy access activities, OFID’s Ministerial Council approved that the $1 billion, announced by OFID in Rio+20, would become a revolving amount.   Information: Mauro Hoyer, +43 1 515 64 Ext: 135, m.hoyer@ofid.org, http://www.ofid.org   Global Environment Facility (GEF) to Hold Energy Innovation Forum   The Global Environment Facility is eager to share its experience with the SEforALL Advisory Board, and to partner with SEforALL and the private sector in developing innovative strategies designed to maximize the benefits of sustainable energy. GEF will be a co-sponsor for the upcoming SEforALL event, to be held in New York, June, 2014. GEF will use the event to focus on innovative projects and new business models to enhance private sector investments in support of the SEforALL objectives of energy access, efficiency, and renewables. It will also encourage countries receiving GEF grants to ensure that their project planning for the GEF6 cycle incorporates the SEforALL objectives.   Information: David Rodgers, Senior Energy Specialist, drodgers@thegef.org, 202-458-9869     International Energy Agency World Energy Outlook focus on Africa As part of its flagship World Energy Outlook (WEO) series, the IEA will complete a special focus on the energy outlook for Africa to 2035. The report, to be published late-2014, will present a detailed picture of Africa’s energy sector today, including energy demand and supply projections, by fuel and by sector, for future decades. It will analyze key energy challenges and opportunities that Africa faces, such as the need to improve access to modern energy services and the prospects for oil and gas production. In summer 2014, the WEO will also launch a Special Report on global investments in the energy sector, examining the implications for energy infrastructure of the major shifts taking place in the global energy system. The report will examine financing options and strategies to overcome the physical, political and economic challenges that could prevent the investment proceeding in a timely manner.   Information: Dan Dorner, IEA, dan.dorner@iea.org   NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS   Austria   SEforALL Global Support Team Austria has contributed substantially to setting up the Office of the Global Support Team of the SEforALL Initiative, located in Vienna; the Austrian government also helps support its operating costs, and is financing an Associate Expert for two years. The office's work will focus on connecting partners; facilitating data sharing between governments, business and civil society in the areas of energy policy, market development and investments. It will also facilitate sharing of best practices for countries to find their way towards sustainable energy, communicating key messages, and developing a common methodology that links individual projects and actions related to the goals of SEforALL.   International Conferences Every two years, Austria hosts – together with UNIDO and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis - the Vienna Energy Forum, a high-level stakeholder-forum for sustainable energy. Austria also sponsors the Global Forum on Sustainable Energy (GFSE), a neutral multi-stakeholder platform which facilitates international dialogue on energy for sustainable development, taking into account the special interests of developing countries.   Regional Centres for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency The Austrian Government was the first bilateral donor to partner with ECOWAS on the establishment of the ECOWAS Centre of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) in 2009. ECREEE has become a model for other African regional bodies such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) or the East African Community (EAC). In May 2013, Austria signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the East African Community to establish the East African Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, pledging one million Euros, with UNIDO as the implementing agency. Another MoU with the South African Development Community (SADC) will follow in the near future.   In addition, Austria made provisions to commit around one million Euros towards the establishment and first operational phase of the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE). Moreover, Austria will support the preparatory works for the Pacific Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (PCREEE) through UNIDO.   Information: abtiii7@bmeia.gv.at , +43 501150-3398   Brazil   Brazil’s Program of Access to Electricity, Light for All has reached the milestone of 15 million beneficiaries, a result that contributed to the country’s attainment of over 99% of the population now having access to electricity. Brazil also announced a Biogas Project for Electric Power Generation. It was developed by Itaipu in the areas of family agriculture and ranching on Brazil’s countryside, and uses animal waste as a source. The experience is being replicated by Eletrobras in Uruguay, under the Global Partnership on Sustainable Electricity.   Information: Paulo Roberto Amora Alvarenga, paulo.alvarenga@mme.gov.br   Denmark   In addition to the launching the Energy Efficiency Hub in Copenhagen, Denmark is contributing startup funding for the Global Facilitation Team.  

Information: Jakob Jakobsen, jakjak@um.dk, 0045-3392-0000

Germany   Germany is contributing startup funding for the SEforALL Global Facilitation Team.   Norway   In addition to its startup funding for the SEforALL global facilitation team, Norway has committed to support renewable energy and energy efficiency activities with about 2 billion NOK in 2014 (US$330 million). “An increasing share of the budget will be used to develop viable business models and leverage commercial investments, while also including civil society in our efforts,” said State Secretary/Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Hans Brattskar. Norway will also increase support to activities in the area of energy, health and women. The international energy and climate initiative Energy+ will be a key instrument to deliver on the ambitious SEforALL targets. Information: Hans Olav Ibrekk, hoi@mfa.no, +47 415 36622.     United Kingdom   Recognizing the burden of energy poverty on women and girls in low income countries, and the need to act, the UK announces:

• £7 million of new support through the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves for research into how its 100 million clean cookstoves by 2020 target can be met.  DFID Minister Lynne Featherstone will also join Hillary Clinton and Mary Robinson on the Leadership Council of the Alliance;
• £4.5 million of new research support through the ENERGIA International Network on Gender and Sustainable Energy, to enhance evidence and knowledge on gender-specific clean energy access impacts and opportunities - including safety, time saving and economic empowerment; this builds on UK support for SEforALL, particularly for preparation of the Global Tracking Framework, and the Accountability Framework launched today;
• The UK is co-operating with Bloomberg New Energy Finance, USAID and the Inter-American Development Bank, on a global investment index – ClimateScope - measuring and ranking investment conditions for clean energy in 55 developing countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America.

  Information: Julia Smith, DFID Press Office julia-smith@dfid.gov.uk +44 20 7023 1752 / +44 7500813593   United States   ClimateScope Index As mentioned above, the United States is supporting development of the ClimateScope Index, which will help private finance companies assess the clean energy investment space of developing countries. ClimateScope will also investigate local climate finance, low carbon value chains, and greenhouse gas management activities. It will prepare and release index information for countries in Africa and Asia, as well as incorporate an existing Multilateral Investment Fund pilot program in Latin America.   Matching Investors to Projects in Bangladesh In Bangladesh, a State Department-led SEforALL mission conducted workshops on electricity access, cleaning cooking fuels, renewable energy systems and energy efficiency with private and public officials.  The workshops helped match investors to projects, while the mission raised awareness of energy investment opportunities among potential investors.   Financing Working Group in Ghana In Ghana, a State Department-led SEforALL team has identified the technical and geographic characteristics of off-grid renewable projects for project development and launched a Financing Working Group.  As projects are defined, the SEforALL team will refer them to the Financing Working Group to develop financing options and business models, and assess the potential of local private sector financing opportunities.   Information: Mark E. Kissel, 202-647-1047, kisselme@state.gov         PRIVATE AND CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS   Bank of America   Bank of America announced that its benchmark size corporate Green Bond issued November 18, the world’s first of its kind, has raised $500 million for three years. The proceeds are targeted at environmental investments being made as part of Bank of America’s 10-year $50 billion environmental business commitment. This initiative, established under SEforALL, commenced at the beginning of 2013. It is hoped that this issuance will act as a forerunner for similar transactions from corporate issuers that target environment-related business opportunities around the world and rapidly grow investor interest.   Information: Alexandra Liftman, Alexandra.liftman@bankofamerica.com, or Laura W. Hunter, Corporate Communications, Bank of America, 704.366.9297,704.577.1164(cell), laura.w.hunter@bankofamerica.com Bloomberg New Energy Finance: Finance for Resilience   Finance for Resilience is an action-oriented platform designed to accelerate the flow of finance in to climate, clean energy, green growth and sustainable development solutions. FiRe will identify the best existing proposals to spur increased investment, reach out to practitioners, and marshal resources to drive them to large-scale implementation as quickly as possible.   Information: Philip Verey, BNEF, pverey2@bloomberg.net   Carbon War Room & Econet Renewable energy driving development in Africa With support from SEforALL Advisory Board Member Strive Masiyiwa, these two entities are working on three new initiatives which advance the goals of SEforALL. Econet Solar International, a subsidiary of Econet Wireless, is actively expanding its distribution of affordable home power solutions. Together with the Carbon War Room, a global non-profit, a new project will explore the viability of bringing a sustainable cookstove solution to the African market by leveraging Econet’s existing distribution networks. A third new initiative partners with Wind for Prosperity, from Vestas and Masdar, to create reliable mini-grids in developing communities by delivering refurbished wind turbine/advanced diesel hybrid systems through commercial channels.   Information: Tessa Lee, Carbon War Room, tlee@carbonwarroom.com   ENERGIA: women’s empowerment through energy   ENERGIA, the international network on gender and sustainable energy, with the support of the UN Women and its partners worldwide, will promote women’s economic empowerment through energy services, with Euro 12 million from the Asian Development Bank, Finland, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom and HIVOS International.   Information: Sheila Oparaocha, +31 (0) 33 432 6000, s.oparaocha@etcnl.nl   Shell and the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves   Shell renewed its support for the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves in September 2013 to further the Alliance’s aim to switch 100 million homes to clean and efficient stoves and fuels by 2020. Shell is the single largest private-sector contributor to the Alliance, pledging $12 million since 2010. The Alliance targets market barriers that impede production, deployment and use of clean cookstoves in emerging economies. Shell’s contribution has supported regional testing centers and market assessments for China, Indonesia, Nigeria, South Africa and Timor Leste. Shell companies in Nigeria also support the local Nigerian Alliance for Clean Cookstoves to grow the domestic market for efficient stoves. This includes increasing access to financing for clean cooking enterprises, commissioning a study on the hazards of indoor air pollution and raising awareness of the issue. Shell’s support is in addition to the earlier and continuing work of the Shell Foundation, an independent charity, active in developing the clean cookstoves market for more than 10 years. The Foundation works across the clean cookstoves value chain to pioneer sustainable and scalable ways to serve low-income consumers across Asia, Africa and Latin America – and to tackle major market barriers such as affordability, awareness and distribution.   Information: Shell International Media Relations: +44 20 7934 5550, USA: +1 713 241 4544 or visit Shell Cookstoves.   United Nations Foundation   Practitioner Network Investment Directory The Practitioner Network Investment Directory, Investing for Energy Access: 2013 Directory of Investment and Funding Opportunities, provides data and overviews of 141 Practitioner Network members’ funding needs. It showcases a pipeline of investment and social engagement opportunities in the energy sector, involving new and growing companies to potential investors.   Information: Yasemin Erboy, United Nations Foundation, yerboy@unfoundation.org   Vestas Wind for Prosperity:  Using the wind to transform energy poverty into sustainable growth and prosperity About 50 million of the world’s 1.2 billion without electricity live in areas with abundant wind resources.  To address this challenge, Vestas and Masdar have launched Wind for Prosperity, an innovative, commercially-based business model to bring affordable and reliable electricity to rural populations that currently lack it.  Combining robust, factory-refurbished wind turbines with advanced diesel power generation to form hybrid systems well-suited for operation on mini-grids in remote locations with limited infrastructure, Wind for Prosperity creates an opportunity for business, government, and financial institutions to combine their talents to improve people’s lives and generate risk-adjusted returns for private investors.  Vestas utilizes its substantial data processing capabilities to identify energy-deprived but wind-rich areas where the wind hybrid solution can power social and economic growth.  The first Wind for Prosperity projects will center on up to 13 Kenyan communities that are home to more than 200,000 people.   Information:   Michael Zarin, Head of External Communications, Vestas Wind Systems A/S,mizar@vestas.com   For information on Sustainable Energy for All, please contact: Anthony Kamara SEforALL - Global Facilitation Team T: +43-1-260-608-3402 E: A.Kamara@SE4ALL.org