Western Balkans Sustainable Energy Finance Facility (WeBSEFF I-II)

Client: European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Duration: 2009-2017

Region: Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Country: Regional

Solutions: Economic Growth Environment and Energy

Significant potential for sustainable energy investments remains untapped in the Western Balkans while improvement in sustainable energy still faces many barriers. WeBSEFF I and II continue the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s support to the region by providing debt financing to businesses, municipalities, and energy service companies for energy projects undertaken in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Montenegro, and Serbia. The goal: reduce energy intensity and promote diverse sources of green energy in a region where rising energy prices remain a challenge.

WeBSEFF I has allocated €60 million to 131 projects in energy efficiency and renewable energy. Due to this success, a second phase of the project was launched in July 2013 with additional financing of €45 million available to participating financial institutions.

DAI is partner to E3 International on both facilities and provides technical assistance in the implementation of dedicated credit lines, specifically assisting the participating financial institutions to on-lend the funds to qualified applicants.

Sample Activities

Provide technical assistance to banks on the development of marketing strategies that raise awareness of energy efficiency.
Advise projects on identifying, designing, and implementing projects that reduce energy use and save firms money.
Assess applying projects’ eligibility.
Determine whether there might be better energy-saving options for individual projects.
Conduct energy audits.
Assess individual project’s technical and financial viability.
Conduct cash flow analyses.
Help with loan applications to participating banks.
Analyze the financial implications of individual sub-projects.

Select Results

€60 million of the WeBSEFF I facility amount has been disbursed as of January 2014.
More than 130 projects have been financed or are under final approval stages within their respective participating financial institution under WeBSEFF I.
60 percent of financed projects are improving energy efficiency; 40 percent are renewable energy projects.

Egypt—National Bank of Egypt: MSME Lending Capacity Building

Loans to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) account for only 6 percent of the total loan portfolio of Egyptian banks, well below the 10 to 30 percent documented in the countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The Government of Egypt and Central Bank of Egypt have made access to finance for MSMEs a top priority and key area for banking sector reform.