April 2012: The annual report of the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) of the World Bank indicates that, in 2011, the Program built on lessons learned by realigning focus areas and strengthening operational functions.

The report includes chapters on: helping to shape the energy future; accelerating the transition to clean energy and low carbon development; fighting energy poverty; helping develop the next generation of energy efficiency; and developing effective energy sector polices and institutions. The report indicates that ESMAP is adjusting its work program and areas of focus to meet growing demands from clients. This reorientation is based on five “core principles” for ESMAP’s work going forward: helping to shape the future; scaling up to respond to increased client demand; measuring results and demonstrating impacts; and working across teams.

The report identifies ESMAP’s key 2011 achievements as including: support for lighting Africa that provided close to 1.5 million people with cleaner, quality-certified off-grid lighting products in Sub-Saharan Africa; informing World Bank lending for the scaling-up of concentrated solar power in the Middle East and North Africa; the production of low carbon growth studies for South Africa, India and Poland that identify greenhouse gas mitigation opportunities and the financial, technical, and policy requirements for transition to a low carbon development path; and delivery of country-specific ‘market transformation’ strategies to help plan for large-scale integration of renewable energy for India, Mexico and Peru.

ESMAP is a global, multi-donor technical assistance trust fund administered by the World Bank and co-sponsored by 12 official bilateral donors. [Publication: ESMAP Annual Report]