This Terms of Reference (TOR) document was developed by the Energy Sector Energy Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), a global knowledge and technical assistance program administered by the World Bank (WB), under a multi-year program on Renewable Energy ResourceAssessment and Mapping that ran from October 2012 to June 2020. The TOR document is being made publicly available to facilitate future measurement campaigns that may be carried out by the World Bank Group, client governments, or other development partners.
This paper uses simple analytical models to study high-income donor countries' willingness to pay to supply mitigation finance to low-income countries; how this depends on modality for finance supply; and how it changes as the global greenhouse gas mitigation agenda moves forward. The paper focuses on two modalities: transformational project-based mitigation finance (transitioning from fossil to non-fossil energy use at scale), and transformational policy-based mitigation finance support (implementing comprehensive carbon taxation). These modalities are compared with conventional finance for which donors have lower willingness to pay. High-income countries' willingness to pay is higher when mitigation is combined with carbon taxation;...
Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) over the next 30 years will critically depend upon urban land use and infrastructure development actions taken across multiple sectors (buildings, energy, transportation, water-sanitation, and waste) in global cities. Integrated urban planning addresses a multiplicity of urban sustainability objectives (e.g., economy, environment, inclusivity, and resilience) (GPSC, World Bank 2018), including cross-sectoral and cross-scale linkages (Ramaswami et al. 2016) and connection of physical planning with social, cultural, behavior, and policy dimensions. The objective of this report is to review the state of knowledge (science) and the state of practice (models actually used by cities for...
The recent advances in battery technology and reductions in battery costs have brought battery energy storage systems (BESS) to the point of becoming increasingly cost-effective projects to serve a range of power sector interventions, especially when combined with PV and where diesel is the alternative, or where subsidies or incentives are used. Quantifying the economic impact of BESS requires a high level of temporal granularity in the analysis, because the time-steps required for a reliable assessment of costs and benefits are much shorter than the usual annual time steps of many power sector investment projects. In short, there is as...
Offshore wind—harvested by turbines anchored in the ocean - can provide a large scale, affordable renewable energy source allowing the shift away from coal and fossil-based power in many regions by 2050. The transition to more renewable energy would allow climate change mitigation, energy security, reducing the dependency on fossil fuel imports, local air pollution, and creating new jobs. The Rising Tide of Offshore Wind is in a series of publications by the International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group.
Battery technology is evolving at a breathtaking pace. As performance improves and costs fall, batteries are already critical for consumer electronics, such as mobile phones, and are paving the way for the electric vehicle market. The battery revolution doesn’t end there. Battery systems are also transforming intermittent renewable energy - such as solar and wind - by making them much more financially attractive. Investors are taking notice. But while the versatility of batteries makes them attractive, it is difficult to determine their economic value. Understanding where and why batteries are most successful remains challenging, as each situation is different based...
As CCREEE works with Trinidad and Tobago's Ministry of Energy to establish an Integrated Resource and Resilience Plan (IRRP), Ms Anita Hankey, Acting Head of the Renewable Energy Division speaks to the importance of the plan for this CARICOM Member State. CCREEE is also working with other Member States to establish IRRPs.
Energy efficiency is among the cheapest, cleanest, and most widely available of energy resources. Improved energy efficiency provides opportunities to sustainably expand energy services and support development and economic growth, contributing to higher living standards, as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In developing countries, where demand for energy is growing rapidly, the potential for energy efficiency improvements is significant, particularly in the residential sector. The purpose of this guide is to raise awareness of behavioral approaches to achieving development outcomes, demonstrate the role that behavioral sciences can play in promoting energy efficiency, and provide guidance on how to integrate...
The ongoing transformation of the global energy sector is opening possibilities for many developing countries to reach their energy access and service delivery goals in a lower cost, more sustainable manner, while combating climate change. New technologies, and new ways of using existing technologies such as geospatial data systems, smart grids, and smart meters are helping to develop resilient energy infrastructure and operate it more efficiently. These developments, combined with major cost reductions in renewable energy and storage solutions are presenting a strong prospect of a complete re-orientation of the energy sector towards a more decentralized, decarbonized and digitalized path....