What it aims to achieve
The Scaling Up Renewable Energy Program in Low Income Countries (SREP) aims to enable the world’s poorest countries to foster transformational change and pursue low-carbon energy pathways. It seeks to increase overall energy access for the populations of partner countries, deliver economic uplift, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and minimize greenhouse gas emissions.
Why it’s needed
Approximately 2.6 billion people rely on traditional biomass, for example, wood and charcoal, for cooking and heating, which is a huge source of greenhouse gas emissions. The World Health Organization states that cooking with polluting fuels is one of the largest environmental contributors to disease and death, particularly in the cases for women and children in low-income countries. Meanwhile, 1.2 billion people have no access to electricity at all, which constitutes a serious barrier to economic progress.
How it works
This program demonstrates the economic, social, and environmental viability of renewable energy, by supporting scaled-up interventions in solar and geothermal power, along with mini-grids, among others. A programmatic approach is needed that builds on existing policies, priorities, and energy initiatives. This involves working with country partners to agree and act on tailored objectives, as well as securing blended financing from multiple sources to enable renewable energy objectives.
Delivery Challenges
The path from investment planning to implementation can take several years, due to the high upfront costs and investment risks of emerging markets in low-income countries. Limited institutional capacity and frequent changes in government can also slow progress.
MEASURING SUCCESS
SREP tracks progress on the supply of renewable energy produced; people and businesses with improved access to clean energy; installed renewable energy capacity; and co-financing mobilized from public and private sector entities. SREP projects also report on other co-benefits, such as gender impact and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduced or avoided. The multilateral development banks (MDBs) are responsible for collecting, aggregating, and reporting data on these indicators annually for all SREP-funded projects under implementation.
SREP Key Results
Please note: Not all projects contributing to all indicators
INDICATOR
CURRENT RESULTS
TARGET
Annual electricity production
0.2 million MWh
TARGET: 4.2 million MWh
11 projects reporting
TARGET: 39 projects
People with improved access to electricity
1.2 million people
TARGET: 10 million people
11 projects reporting
TARGET: 34 projects
Businesses with improved access to electricity
5,809 businesses
TARGET: 143,400 businesses
8 projects reporting
TARGET: 14 projects
Installed renewable energy capacity
299.8 MW
TARGET: 1,100 MW
9 projects reporting
TARGET: 32 projects
Cumulative co-financing mobilized
$980 million
TARGET: $2.8 billion
33 projects reporting
TARGET: 40 projects
Annual GHG reductions/avoided
0.2 million tCO2 eq
TARGET: 2.7 million tCO2 eq
9 projects reporting
TARGET: 47 projects
- 0%
- 20%
- 40%
- 60%
- 80%
- 100%
Financing
NO. OF CIF-APPROVED PROJECTS
81
srep Approved Funding
$585.3M
EXPECTED CO-FINANCING
$2.9B
SOURCES OF EXPECTED CO-FINANCING
Loading...
Government
$471.9 M
Bilateral / others
$661.6 M
MDB
$1.2 B
Private sector
$566.6 M
srep REGIONS
Loading...
Asia
39%
Europe & Central Asia
3%
Latin America & the Caribbean
14%
Middle East & North Africa
<1%
Sub-Saharan Africa
43%
Global
<1%
srep SECTORS
Loading...
Mixed renewable energy
47%
Solar
34%
Geothermal
9%
Hydropower
8%
Waste to energy
1%
Wind
0.5%
Cookstoves
0.2%
Data as of December 31, 2021
For latest MDB and Government Focal point, please contact CIF Admin Unit @ cifadminunit@worldbank.org
Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals
Implementing Partners
SREP Projects
News Spotlight
Event Spotlight
Climate action and development are inextricably linked. This link has been confirmed by a new independent evaluation that assesses and analyzes how climate finance programs can lead to broader social, economic, environmental, and market development impacts.
May 03, 2023
09:00 AM - 10:30 AM EST
