The Role of the Public Sector in Mobilizing Commercial Finance for Grid-Connected Solar Projects

This report assesses the role of public interventions in mobilizing commercial financing for grid-connected solar projects in seven developing countries - Chile, India, Maldives, Morocco, the Philippines, Senegal, and South Africa. Desktop research is complemented by interviews with development professionals, academics, and public officials, and the results of an online survey developed to gain insights and perspective from private developers and other commercial capital providers. The focus is on the ability to attract commercial investors and lenders, without analysis of the financing terms. The scope is limited to utility-scale, grid-connected projects because of the risk concentration inherent to large projects and the importance of large-scale investments in clean energy for the transition toward low carbon development pathways. The analysis puts into perspective the linkages between global and country-specific factors, the complexity and multifaceted nature of the choices that decision makers face, and their rationale for pursuing a specific course of action. This report is the first chapter of The Role of the Public Sector in Mobilizing Commercial Finance for Grid-Connected Solar Projects: Lessons Learned and Case Studies, that comprises the case studies that have supported the analysis.