In 2020, USAID helped partner countries power economies with clean energy while opening markets to private investment and competition.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) believes in the innate desire of people and countries to shape their own futures. We also believe that renewable energy can transform economies, lift people out of poverty, and support a country’s journey to self-reliance. When partner countries prioritize renewable energy to fuel economic and social development, we are proud to support them on their journeys.

Executive Summary

USAID’s Scaling Up Renewable Energy (SURE) project helps countries plan, procure, integrate, and incentivize renewable energy. In 2020, SURE worked in 18 countries, advising governments, utilities, private developers, and others on actions that can increase electricity access and power brighter futures for all.

Through the SURE project, USAID supported auctions in Colombia and India that achieved historically low prices through private investment in renewable energy. The Government of Colombia awarded 1,374 megawatts (MW) of new wind and solar power projects that will attract roughly $1.3 billion in private investment and save up to $184 million in annual electricity costs. The Government of India procured 6.6 gigawatts (GW) of electricity through first-of-their-kind tenders that will power the grid 24 hours a day using a combination of renewable technologies and storage. The projects are expected to bring over $3 billion in investment.

SURE developed 30 technical tools that supported the design and implementation of renewable energy programs, built the capacity of 221 institutions to address clean energy issues, and trained 1,066 people in strategic energy planning, renewable energy procurement and integration, and distributed energy business models and incentives. USAID and SURE designed these trainings and tools to help policymakers, power utilities, and regulators be more strategic, effective, and innovative.

SURE worked with national energy ministries and regulators to create environments for renewable energy to thrive. In 2020, partner country governments adopted policies and regulations to support the integration of variable renewable energy (VRE) and catalyze private investment.

SURE also continued to support Engendering Utilities as it partners with utilities to counter gender disparity, cultivate talent, and promote leadership opportunities for women so they can thrive in well-paying energy jobs. Over the last year, Engendering Utilities strengthened partnerships with 17 power utilities in 14 countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and Europe, as well as utilities in other male-dominated sectors. These partnerships unlocked economic opportunities for over 1,300 women.

Looking Ahead to the Next Phase of SURE

USAID will continue to advance renewable energy through a new five-year, $29.7 million SURE project that will help partners create modern, reliable, and efficient power networks. SURE’s next phase will provide technical support and build capacity for renewable energy planning, grid integration, competitive procurement, and as strategies and technologies to cultivate a more circular economy. SURE will also manage an Innovation Fund to collaborate with and access new and nontraditional partners to advance high-impact, enterprise-driven solutions.