Pressing ahead with global energy and climate goals
GIZ supports countries in the Global South in making their energy supply greener and more reliable and in creating an attractive investment environment for European investors. With the Global Energy Transformation Programme (GET.pro), Europe is pooling its strengths to achieve this.
Many countries in the Global South lack the necessary infrastructure, technical expertise and financing know-how to significantly expand renewable energies. As a result, energy imports create dependencies, and existing potential remains untapped. To achieve the global energy and climate goals, the international donor community and partner countries need to work together closely. GET.pro is Europe’s response to this and offers a win-win solution for both sides.
The GET.pro programme was established by the European Union and Germany, together with Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden and Austria. It is implemented by GIZ. GET.pro addresses the core elements of a sustainable, socially just energy transition: the programme promotes political dialogue between Europe and its partner regions, advises governments on supportive framework conditions and supports companies in acquiring financing for its projects. Other GIZ projects can access the successfully established service packages.
A leading Team Europe project
GET.pro operates in 57 countries worldwide, with a particular focus on Africa and Latin America. The programme has advised partner governments with more than 130 transformation processes for the energy transition, and supported 675 companies in developing their investment projects. In 141 cases, contracts with financing providers and investors were concluded. This has mobilised EUR 573 million in investment for sustainable energies. 7.6 million people have received access to a more sustainable and reliable power supply, or have been connected to the power supply for the first time.
As a leading Team Europe project, the programme helps to position shared European values and interests on the international stage. It contributes significantly to the EU’s Global Gateway initiative, with the goal of promoting sustainable infrastructure projects in partner countries.
GET.pro uses three complementary instruments that strengthen central elements of the energy transition:
- Through the Secretariat of the Africa-EU Energy Partnership (AEEP), GET.pro has been promoting political dialogue between the two continents since 2007.
- GET.transform advises governments and public institutions on creating better framework conditions for investment in the energy transition.
- GET.invest mobilises private investment in renewable energy. It assists companies from the initial project idea through to financing, connects them with suitable banks and supports them right up to when implementation starts.
In Peru, GET.transform supported grid operator COES in integrating a higher share of renewable energy into the power grid. Experts analysed and optimised work processes and then implemented a new forecasting system developed by a German company.
The grid operator can now reliably estimate how much operating reserve is required to offset fluctuations from wind and solar power. This means that the share of renewable energy can be increased, and additional investment can be mobilised.
‘As a system operator, precise forecasting of demand and renewable generation is essential for us. It enables the optimal allocation of resources to reliably meet the country’s electricity needs. With support from GET.transform, we are strengthening our technical capacities and advancing regulatory approaches to better manage the variability of clean energy sources.’
GET.pro is transferring the knowledge acquired in Peru to other countries, including Panama, in a time-efficient, cost-effective manner. As part of this, the same experts are currently providing support to implement a forecasting system that is similar to the one in Peru.
On Barbados, GET.invest supported the company HDF Energy in mobilising investors for an energy project that combines solutions for two central problems on the Caribbean island: lack of access to clean, affordable energy and a shortage of agricultural land. On grassland in the south-east of the island, a photovoltaic system and a hydrogen storage system will deliver enough clean energy for 16,000 people in the future. The grass will be kept down by more than 1,800 sheep: they keep the soil fertile and are also a source of food. Today, the project is regarded as a model for island nations across the globe.
First creating the framework conditions, then implementing investment projects
In Lesotho, the government has been working with GIZ through the GET.transform political instrument since 2020 to develop a new energy policy that prioritises renewable energies and creates transparent procedures for investors. Furthermore, GET.transform provides support in negotiations between governments and investors to ensure fair and economically viable tariffs. And when the framework conditions are right, it attracts investors: thanks to networking and financial advice from GET.invest, a Belgian company is planning a 100 MW wind energy project – and has already submitted the project to the Global Gateway EU initiative. If it gets off the ground, Lesotho’s first wind farm will have wind turbines from Europe, and not from China.
Support for energy start-ups
The energy transition also requires new technologies and business models, particularly from countries in the Global South. While GET.pro focuses on technologies that are already market-ready, the CATAL1.5°T programme supports climate start-ups in Latin America and West Africa in turning an idea into a business. For example, thanks to assistance from GIZ, a company in Guinea is now converting up to eight tonnes of plastic waste a day into regranulate. The project team trained the management, assisted with the business plan, procured protective clothing for staff and, not least, provided financial support to acquire the new plastic recycling facility. CATAL1.5°T also organised ‘climathons’ in a number of countries in Latin America and West Africa. Start-ups, inventors and experts sign up to take part in the two-day idea marathons. Together, they work on concrete solutions to climate problems. If the solutions are promising, the programme then provides support in developing the idea until it reaches market maturity.
So far, the programme has supported 150 companies and mobilised EUR 5.4 million of private and public capital. With their technologies, the start-ups receiving support will save around 910,000 tonnes of CO2 by 2030 and are also an investment in the future in other respects: after all, today’s ideas produce tomorrow’s success stories.