Financing Clean Energy for the Bottom of the Pyramid (Presentation)

On Wednesday, November 11, 2009, USAID's Microenterprise Development office held its 36th Microfinance Innovations After Hours Seminar on the topic of "Financing Clean Energy for the Bottom of the Pyramid: A Comparison of Approaches in India and Prospects for Replication." The event was co-hosted by the Society for International Development (SID) Urban and Development Finance working groups and was moderated by Amanda O’Neil, co-chair of the Development Finance Working Group.

• Mathew Chandy, Senior Urban Advisor at CHF International, discussed several projects focused on improving energy efficiency and consumption practices in urban India. Specific topics included slum electrification, energy efficiency audits, waste to energy, solar energy and water harvesting.
• Elizabeth Israel, CEO and co-founder of GreenMicrofinance, LLC, explained how GMf uses economic leverage and environmental expertise to unify microfinance and environmental initiatives. She discussed the GMf investment vehicles and presented two case studies.
• Ella Delio, deputy director of the New Ventures program at the World Resources Institute, presented on the challenges of sustainable SMEs and the New Ventures approach to improving SME's performance and linking companies with investors. She concluded with a case study example from the Himalayas.