United Kingdom pledges $250 million to World Bank’s Energy Storage program

France’s Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the Netherlands pledged $100 million to the Solar Risk Mitigation Initiative (SRMI), with the Netherlands also announcing $20 million for the Bank’s planned Clean Cooking Fund.


World Bank | New York | Updated: 23-09-2019 15:41 IST | Created: 23-09-2019 15:41 IST
United Kingdom pledges $250 million to World Bank’s Energy Storage program
The UK’s contribution supports the World Bank Group’s goal of mobilizing $1 billion in concessional climate funds for a global program on energy storage, alongside its own commitment of $1 billion, announced at the One Planet Summit in September 2018. Image Credit: Twitter(@EIB)
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The United Kingdom pledged £200 million ($250 million) to the Climate Investment Funds’ Global Energy Storage Program, which in collaboration with the World Bank’s Energy Storage Partnership aims to deliver breakthrough energy storage and renewable energy solutions at scale.

France’s Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the Netherlands pledged $100 million to the Solar Risk Mitigation Initiative (SRMI), with the Netherlands also announcing $20 million for the Bank’s planned Clean Cooking Fund.

The UK’s contribution supports the World Bank Group’s goal of mobilizing $1 billion in concessional climate funds for a global program on energy storage, alongside its own commitment of $1 billion, announced at the One Planet Summit in September 2018.

The program is expected to help middle-income and developing countries increase their use of renewables, particularly wind and solar power, improve energy security, increase grid stability and expand access to electricity. It also aims to finance 17.5 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of battery storage by 2025 – more than triple the 4-5 GWh currently installed in all developing countries.

Solar Risk Mitigation Initiative

The pledges from France and the Netherlands, as part of SRMI, will provide support to countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, which have some of the world’s largest gaps in electricity access, as they scale up their off-grid and grid-connected solar energy programs.

The Dutch government committed $44 million to the Regional Off-Grid Electrification Project in the Sahel, in addition to the $224.7 million from IDA and Climate Investment Funds’ Clean Technology Fund announced in April 2019. The project aims to increase electricity access for households, businesses and public institutions using modern, standalone solar systems. About 1.7 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa are expected to get electricity access or improved service through the effort.

France’s €50 million ($55 million) will provide private investors with guarantees for smaller solar projects in Sub-Saharan Africa through the Africa Trade Insurance Agency. This will help bridge the gap for smaller projects and help countries deploy privately financed solar projects quickly and efficiently.

SRMI was launched at COP24 by the World Bank in partnership with AFD, the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

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