UNEP Collaborating Centre at Frankfurt School starts project in Nepal

Ace Development Bank Ltd.  - with Winrock International as the lead consultant and in collaboration with Frankfurt School of Finance & Management's UNEP Collaborating Centre for Sustainable Energy & Climate Finance - targets the installation of 5,000 Solar Home Systems (SHS) in rural households through credit financing. Through this ac-tivity, Ace Development Bank Ltd. is expanding the initiative of the Alternate Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC)-Energy Sector Assistance Program’s Credit Financing of Solar Home Systems. The total project cost of the new initiative is estimated to be  1.8 million US-Dollars, out of which Frankfurt School shall provide funds to identify local financial institutes and provide capacity building and monitoring activities.

The capacity building activities will support the improvement in governance and financial practices, develop marketing of SHS and assist in preparing business plans. The project completion date is 31st December 2012, however the project proponents will report and monitor the progress of the project activities for an additional two years until 2014. This initiative supports Ace’s commitment towards renewable energy technology (RET) financing and rural market penetration as a part of its microfinance strategy.

About the project proponents

Ace Development Bank Ltd
Ace Development Bank Ltd. is a leading player in the financial market of Nepal. It was founded in August 1995 as Ace Finance Company Ltd. and was upgraded to Ace Development Bank Ltd., a fully fledged category “B” development bank in 2007. As a responsible corporate citizen the Ace Development Bank firmly believes in supporting Nepal's efforts to improve access to renewable energy and the global efforts to reducing greenhouse emissions.

Frankfurt School of Finance and Management’s UNEP Collaborating Center
The mission of Frankfurt School - The UNEP Collaborating Centre for Sustainable Energy & Climate Finance is to work with UNEP in delivering its mandate to increase finance sector engagement in the sustainable energy sector. Its goal is to promote increased investment in the energy efficiency and renewable energy sectors primarily in developing markets, but also in industrialised countries.

Alternative Energy Promotion Center (AEPC)
The Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) is a government institution established with the objective of developing and promoting renewable/alternative energy technologies in Nepal. The mission of AEPC is to make renewable energy a mainstream resource through increased access, knowledge and adaptability contributing for the improved living conditions of people in Nepal. The Energy Sector Assistance Program is one of the programs of AEPC.

AEPC-Energy Sector Assistance Program (ESAP)
The Energy Sector Assistance Program is an initiave of the Alternative Energy Promotion Center (EASP)was set up with a view to achieving ongoing sustainability in the rural / renewable energy sector in Nepal within a 20 year timeframe. ESAP is supported by DANIDA, Norway, KfW, SNV and GoN. So far more than 197,000 SHS are installed through this programme.

Winrock International
Winrock International is a non-profit organization that works with people in the United States and around the world to empower the disadvantaged, increase economic opportunity, and sustain natural resources. Winrock International’s Renewable Energy Project Support Office (REPSO) has been introducing innovative approaches to improve access to clean energy in Nepal for more than a decade.

Visit our project website for further details.

More information on the UNEP Collaborating Centre.