Honduras SREP investment plan emphasizes renewable energy production and distribution

Honduras’ Scaling Up Renewable Energy Program Investment Plan wasprepared by the country’s government with inputs from the IDB, the International Finance Corporation, and the World Bank to support development of the country’s renewable energy sources, reduce dependency on hydrocarbon imports, and promote low-carbon development.

The plan presents an action strategy in two major areas: supply additional power to serve industrial, commercial, and residential customers connected to the grid; and provide sustainable rural energy services, particularly to increase access to electricity services and provide clean energy for cooking. The IDB will manage a total of US$30.2 million in SREP funding (15.2 from the Investment Plan and US$15 million from the set aside) to help finance three projects, as follows:

• Strengthening the Renewable Energy Policy and Regulatory Framework (FOMPIER) to support the development and implementation of policies, laws, regulations, rules, standards, and incentive schemes aimed at improving the integration of renewable energy in the energy matrix. (SREP approval October 2012)
• Grid-Connected Renewable Energy Development Support (ADERC) to support afirst portfolio of projects designed to reduce risk to investors through demonstration of successful operations and by providing training and experience to stakeholders in the market —developers, financial institutions and communities. (SREP approval pending)
• Sustainable Rural Energization (ERUS) to develop sustainable models of large-scale, off-grid rural electrification based on renewable energy, and to scale-up access to clean energy for cooking. (SREP approval October 2013)

As a net importer of hydrocarbons, Honduras is exposed to price volatility in the petroleum market. As such, the Honduran government intends to reverse the structure of the country’s electricity sector by 2022 to a ratio of 60 percent renewable and 40 percent fossil fuel, and by 2034, to a ratio of 80 percent renewable to 20 percent fossil fuel. The SREP investment plan lays the foundation to achieve these goals.

In addition, the SREP-financed activities will provide access to electricity for 100,000 people, improve energy services, and provide efficient cook stoves 70,000 people while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 200,000 tons of CO2.