Energy efficiency remains a tricky matter to harness, notwithstanding its vast potential. This ADBI Working Paper examines off-balance sheet equity as one of the options that could be tapped to effectively mobilize energy efficiency financing.

This ADBI working paper proposes several policy recommendations to modify existing guidelines for selecting ESCOs to manage the energy efficiency of streetlights in Indonesia. It specifically proposes the use of smart street lighting technologies to improve the value-added services of streetlights and the establishment of a super ESCO to accelerate ESCO business activity in all economic sectors.

On 17 March ADB Ventures announced its first investments: in an electric vehicle company and an energy efficiency-as-a-service company for large hospitals, and commercial buildings both based in India.Euler Motors Pvt. Ltd., based in India, is an electric vehicle manufacturer and fleet operator focused on last-mile commercial logistics, accelerating India’s and Southeast Asia’s transition to sustainable mobility. Euler Motors has raised $9.4 million in Series A funding with participation by ADB Ventures, Blume, Inventus, and other investors.Smart Joules Pvt.

A $1 million regional Knowledge and Support Technical Assistance project was approved on 12 September to help ADB DMCs improve energy efficiency, mitigate the risks of virus transmission, and ensure safe working conditions in public buildings through the deployment of efficient, clean, and smart centralized air-conditioning (CAC) systems.

The Energy SG under one of its technical assistance projects has called an innovation challenge for smart digitalization and applications in disease-resilient and energy-efficient centralized air-conditioning (CAC) systems in public buildings of ADB developing member countries.

The security of energy supply is crucial for rapid growth in Southeast Asia, but it is being increasingly challenged by the region’s fast-growing energy demand. This high demand can be explained by improvements in energy access as well as population and economic growth.

Now is the time to ramp up actions on resilience so that society can beat the COVID-19 crisis while reducing the impact of climate threats.The last few weeks have taken all of us by surprise. We are confined to our homes. Weaknesses in health care systems have been exposed. Jobs are uncertain. Women are bearing the burden of providing informal care within families. Millions are being pushed back into poverty. Stock markets are reeling.We long for normality. But when life was normal we were already in crisis – a climate crisis. Returning to that status quo isn’t an option.

“COP26 made several promising steps forward in uniting the world, and the Asia and the Pacific region, to take stronger action against climate change. I was personally encouraged by the spirit of collective determination and willpower I saw at COP26 to solve what is the critical issue of our lifetime,” said ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa on 15 November following the close of COP26. “At the same time, the detailed negotiations and final statement clearly highlight that more needs to be done—more financing, more innovation, and more collaboration are needed faster to meet this challenge.

Singapore’s carbon tax is designed to maximize green investments while minimizing negative effects on the overall economy.Carbon pricing is gaining growing recognition as an effective instrument to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet the 2 °C goal set by the Paris Agreement. The most common types of carbon pricing schemes are emissions trading schemes and carbon taxes.

In his keynote speech at the International Climate Change Conference that ADB held together with Indonesia’s Ministry of Finance on 22 July, ADB President Masa made a case for bolder actions against climate change while ensuring equitable and sustainable economic recovery in the region’s transition to net-zero emissions.This transition would require international cooperation and strong public and private finance to rapidly decarbonize, adapt to climate change build resilience.