28 December 2013: The Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) of the World Bank has published its annual report for 2013, marking the 30th year since ESMAP’s founding. The report highlights programmes, results, outputs and budgetary information from 2013, and looks ahead at work to be undertaken in coming years.

The report opens by considering ESMAP’s support of the global Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) initiative, lessons learned, and its business plan for 2014-2016. Further chapters cover: accelerating the transition to clean energy and low carbon development; creating pathways to sustainable energy for all; fostering sustainable, energy efficient cities; developing effective energy sector policies and institutions; and a financial review of ESMAP. Each chapter offers a review of activities undertaken in 2013, and looks at upcoming work in the same area. In a special section, the report also covers ESMAP’s support of sustainable energy development in small island developing States (the SIDS DOCK Support Program).

According to the report, specific highlights of 2013 include: the co-authoring of the SE4ALL Global Tracking Framework report; the launch of the Global Geothermal Development Plan; expansion of the deployment of the Tool for Rapid Assessment of City Energy (TRACE); the launch of the Renewable Energy Resource Mapping initiative and SE4ALL Technical Assistance Program; work to develop and disseminate the Model for Electric Technology Assessment (META) electricity planning tool; continued support to the Lighting Africa program, which has reached nearly seven million people in Sub-Saharan Africa; and the launch of the Africa Clean Cooking Energy Solutions (ACCES) initiative. [Publication: ESMAP 2013 Annual Report] [ESMAP Website]