27 February 2012: The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) reports it will fund three projects tackling energy poverty in Cambodia, Tanzania, and Ethiopia, with the support of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ (OPEC) Fund for International Development (OFID).

The three projects were chosen from more than 50 proposals in the latest funding cycle. All projects are focused on widening energy access and alleviating poverty, and are considered “turning point projects,” in the sense of enjoying strong on-the-ground support and having the potential to be scaled-up.

The project in Cambodia will upgrade diesel-fueled mini-grids to hybrid diesel-renewable energy systems, providing more than 2000 households with round-the-clock electricity access. In Ethiopia, the project will create local cooperatives in two off-grid rural districts, providing and financing energy-efficient stoves and solar-powered lights, while at the same time creating local jobs in technology repair and stove production. The project in Tanzania will establish a community utility in a village on Lake Tanganyika, providing electricity and solar thermal energy, as well as sustainable water and sanitation services. [REEEP Press Release]