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EU Energy Initiative


Table of Contents

[top] [end]Funder profile

Latest news: see the press release here

[top] [end]Origin of funds

European Commission

[top] [end]Goals/aims

To respond to unmet needs for energy services in developing countries with the primary objective of poverty reduction. Through the Initiative, which was launched in 2002, the EU proposes to work with developing countries towards creating the necessary conditions in the energy sector to achieve their national economic, social and environmental objectives, in particular by maximizing energy efficiency, including more efficient use of fossil fuels and traditional biomass, and increasing the use of renewable energy.

The EU Energy Initiative focuses on the importance of energy in the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and represents a political commitment from the EU towards the implementation of the Johannesburg Political Declaration and Plan of Implementation (World Summit 2000). It is driven by the needs and priorities of Developing Countries, as they are expressed in their national strategies for poverty reduction, for sustainable development or similar.

[top] [end]Main form of support

Grant or Subsidy

[top] [end]Typical budget size

Several million Euro per year

[top] [end]Support type

Technical assistance, Social development, Information dissemination, Demonstration projects, Export support, Investment support

[top] [end]Countries of operation

Developing countries, with an initial focus on Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries

[top] [end]Main target groups

NGOs, Education, Private utility, Research, Consultants, Industry, Government

[top] [end]General conditions

The EU Energy Initiative works with the energy poor in rural, peri-urban and urban areas, through the full menu of technical and institutional options, including:
  • rural electrification
  • decentralised energy systems
  • increased use of renewable energy
  • enhanced energy efficiency, including better fossil fuel technologies, efficient appliances and efficient use of traditional biomass.

Main objectives of the Partnership/Initiative

Development Objectives: The Initiative aims to facilitate the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal of halving the number of people in extreme poverty and other MDGs by 2015, through the provision of adequate, affordable, sustainable energy services. This will be achieved within the context of beneficiary country driven activities.

Immediate Objectives: Through the Initiative the EU proposes to establish "Energy Access Partnerships" with developing countries, with the involvement of the private sector and civil society, that will develop in response to the energy needs of developing countries and regions. Through these Partnerships, donors will work with developing countries to help identify energy needs and necessary assistance to create the economic, social and institutional conditions that will enable their energy needs to be met.

Aim of the Partnerships is to enable the EU and its developing country partners, and other stakeholders, to work together to improve efforts for increasing access to energy services, particularly for poor women and men, based on their specific circumstances and requirements. Gender issues will be mainstreamed in all aspects of the Initiative. The Partnerships will ensure that existing energy activities and other initiatives will be well co-ordinated to provide coherent packages. They will be based on existing organisations, structures and procedures.

The Partnerships will lead to action at the national, sub-regional or regional levels with a focus on institutional capacity building and technical assistance to support development of energy policies and to encourage investment in sustainable energy.

Partners: More than 30 governments, Enel Green Power, some NGOs and international organizations.

The activities could cover areas such as:
  • energy policy development
  • institutional capacity building
  • technical co-operation
  • market development
  • co-operation with financial institutions
  • the adoption of a cross-sectoral approach

The Initiative becomes operational through the development of Partnerships, which will ensure linkages between objectives agreed within the Johannesburg Political Declaration and Plan of Implementation and activities on the ground. Partnerships will evolve through discussion of the specific energy service needs resulting from National Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers, Country and Regional Strategy Papers, National Indicative Programmes, or other national Sustainable Development Strategies. The benefits of regional activities in particular will be considered. The EU Energy Initiative invites developing countries and stakeholders from the private sector, civil society and financial organisations to build partnerships at the national or regional level.

Note that the EU Energy Initiative does not usually fund projects directly, and there is no application procedure. Steps to accessing EU funds start at a national level through National Poverty Reduction approaches, and local recognition of the importance of energy to poverty reduction. The local government would, in general, need to request the local EC delegate to assist them in the field of energy.

Funding for the Initiative will be organised through appropriate combinations of public and/or private resources, both from domestic and international sources. European Commission and European Union Member State co-operation agencies will contribute financing, respecting the procedures and priorities established with respect to the National Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers, Country Strategy Papers, Regional Strategy Papers, National Indicative Programmes, etc. This could take the form of public-private partnerships. Public resources will be provided in a variety of forms, so as to maximise their impact. This could take the form of:
  • Grants
  • Loans
  • Risk guarantees
  • Equity investments, for instance in special purpose Energy Service Companies
  • Technical assistance.

Given the magnitude of needs for access to energy services, the Initiative will strive to attract a major contribution from private sources. Specific Initiative activities will be designed to create the conditions for maximising private sector involvement.

Developing country governments and governmental organisations involved: Senegal, Morocco, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Uganda, Swaziland, Malawi, Kenya, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Barbados, Grenada, Bolivia, CCAD, representing Central American countries

[top] [end]Example projects

Zimbabwe solar hot water and crop drying system. A solar-thermal project with grant funding from the Austrian Development Cooperation, to provide solar hot water to households, schools and clinics, and solar drying for crops.

Support to the regional program for the promotion of domestic and alternative energy sources in the Sahel. This EC program was created to assist countries in the Sahel region of Africa to design, adopt and implement domestic energy plans for overcoming the fuel wood crisis and to ensure optimum use of renewable energy resources in the longer term.

[top] [end]Contact details

Webpage: http://www.euei.org/
Contact: Antonio Garcia-Fragio
Email: DEV-EU-ENERGY-INITIATIVE@...

[top] [end]Sources

This profile, based on initial information contributed by Eco Ltd, was updated within the framework of the Sparknet project supported by the European Commission's Fifth Framework Programme.

Click here for the full list of donor, organisation, and project profiles from Sparknet.

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Link to Sparknet

Page created: 12 March 2004; Last edited: 01 November 2004; Version: 2
Knowledge Bank text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.

Pagename: EUEnergyInitiative @HEDON: AWAA