Review
"Financing Energy Efficiency identifies creative steps that can be taken bi the public and private sector to realize the full and promising potential in energy efficiency in developing countries. This must be a top priority for international cooperation and World Bank leadership." - --The Honorable Timothy E. Wirth, President, United Nations Foundation and Better World Fund
"Raising energy efficiency is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce green house gases, and this book offers some timely lessons learned from projects funded through the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The study authors note that well-targeted support from international financial institutions such as ours can play an important role in spurring energy efficiency by combining investment financing and project development support. Clearly, multilateral funding can play a catalytic role through financing mechanisms and pilot projects. And to help build further momentum, this book offers timely suggestions on how individual governments can offer additional support toward building energy efficiency lending for the benefit of all." - --Monique Barbut, CEO and Chairperson, Global Environment Facility
"This book is rich in substance. The successful experiences and failed lessons described in detailed cases provide useful and instructive thoughts for solving the existing obstacles and barriers faced by developing countries in energy efficiency project financing." - --Han Wenke, Director, Energy Research Institute, National Development and Reform Commission in China
Product Description
This book summarizes the lessons learned from practical recent experiences of implementing energy efficiency projects in China, India, Brazil and other countries. They are based on the findings of a multi-year project financed by the United Nations Foundation. The book makes the point that institutional mechanisms must be created or strengthened to capture the opportunities for energy efficiency investments. The numerous case studies of recently implemented energy efficiency programs and projects which form the second part of the book illustrate the adaptation of various financial mechanisms (lending through commercial banks, partial-risk loan guarantee programs, development finance institutions and special revolving funds, energy service companies and utility demand-side management programs) within differing country institutional contexts and the innovative deal structuring that allow energy efficiency investments to go forward. Based on the experiences from several innovative knowledge-sharing exchanges between bankers and energy efficiency service providers of the three countries, the book emphasizes the need for establishing and maintaining practical and operationally focused dialogue between those two groups of actors. It also stresses the importance of strategic government support in addition to investment financing and project development support from international financial institutions.