Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) 2021-24

The world is at risk of not meeting the global energy targets set in the United Nations SDG7 for 2030. Ensuring sustainable energy for all by 2030 remains possible but will require stronger efforts to significantly improve energy systems’ sustainability in the context of climate change. The COVID-19 pandemic implies additional challenges and risks, and the poor creditworthiness of utilities is a key bottleneck undermining the sustainable energy agenda. However, a rapidly evolving landscape of new technologies and innovations creates opportunities for advancing the energy transition necessary for universal access and climate change mitigation.

Achieve universal energy access by 2030 and advance decarbonization across the energy sector in support of international commitments on climate change.

(i) significantly accelerated progress on access to clean cooking- (ii) countries on track to achieving universal electricity access- (iii) major scale-up of renewable energy- (iv) accelerated decarbonization of demand-side or end-use energy sectors- (v) energy sector transition to deliver zero carbon power that is affordable and reliable- and (vi) improved gender equality in the energy sector.

SECO primarily supports the objectives (iii) to (vi).

Expected results:  

(i) production of global knowledge work (ii) technical support to World Bank operations by ESMAP staff, and (iii) provision of country-based grants to World Bank regional and International Finance Corporation operational units for just-in-time assistance to client governments.

Results from previous phases:  

SECO contributed USD 8 million to the ESMAP Business Plan 2017-20, during which ESMAP achieved significant progress towards its objectives, including:

• 154.8 million beneficiaries (households, communities, public facilities, utilities, industrial enterprises etc.) expected to be reached by ESMAP-informed World Bank development financing-

• 76.3 million people expected to gain access to electricity-

• USD 26.8 billion World Bank development financing informed-

• USD 15.8 billion external financing mobilized, including private sector-

• 17.7 GW of renewable energy expected to be installed-

• 646 million metric tons of CO2 emissions expected to be reduced-

• 606 million MWh projected lifetime energy and fuel savings to be achieved.