Global Energy Alliance shows how partnership powers energy access, job creation, and carbon reduction at scale

New York | September 22, 2025 — Amid global economic and political headwinds that threaten progress on climate and development goals, the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet is showing how deep collaboration between governments, philanthropies, and the private sector works: transforming energy systems, creating millions of jobs and tackling climate change in emerging economies. 

As showcased in its newly released 2025 impact report, the Global Energy Alliance’s public-private-philanthropy partnership model builds country-led coalitions and leverages catalytic finance and technical expertise to advance a sustainable energy future.

Since its inception at COP26 in 2021, the Global Energy Alliance has awarded $503 million in catalytic funding, helping unlock $7.8 billion in total investments and powering 137 projects in over 30 countries.  

The Alliance’s partnership model — blending philanthropic capital with public and private finance — is now on track to:

• Improve energy access for 91 million people
• Support or create 3.1 million jobs and livelihoods
• Prevent 296 million tons of carbon emissions

“The findings in this report prove the value of public, private, philanthropic partnerships and demonstrate that a just energy transition is a powerful engine for jobs and economic growth,” said Woochong Um, CEO of the Global Energy Alliance. “This report demonstrates that when governments, investors, innovators, and communities come together, we can drive systemic change, creating solutions that work locally and scale globally.”

The report is packed with case studies from India, Africa, Latin America & the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia including:

• Nigeria: Scaling interconnected solar mini grids to power rural entrepreneurs, offering a model for last-mile energy access that can unlock livelihoods and resilience across Africa.
• India: A first-of-its-kind battery energy storage project in New Delhi is catalyzing a national pipeline of reliable clean power and, through the Global Energy Alliance’s BESS Consortium, inspiring worldwide deployment that leverages falling battery costs to accelerate grid stability and resilience for millions.
• South Africa: Renewable energy training for former coal workers and government capacity building demonstrates how a fast and fair transition can create new jobs and skills while helping entire economies shift from dependence on fossil fuels.
• Haiti: Innovative rooftop-mounted solar mesh grids are powering some of the hardest-to-reach communities, with lessons for last-mile electrification in remote or conflict-affected areas worldwide.
• Indonesia: A floating solar project in Tembesi provides reliable power to communities, highlighting how decentralized, climate-resilient systems can expand energy access in vulnerable geographies worldwide.

The impact report also highlights lessons from the Alliance’s first years that are shaping how universal energy access and clean energy transitions can succeed at scale: Funding alone is not enough — pairing capital with hands-on technical expertise is critical to overcome barriers, build strong project pipelines, and speed adoption. Solutions work best when they are country-led, market-based, and aligned with national priorities. Long-term alliances, built on clear roles and mutual accountability, are essential to deliver systemic change. Flexibility is also key: rigid delivery models often fail in complex environments, while adaptable timelines, contingency budgets, and strong local partnerships drive results. Financing should be tied to measurable outcomes, released in tranches to maximize leverage and responsiveness. And from the outset, data systems must be embedded to track progress, enable adaptation, and generate the proof points needed to influence the broader sector.

These lessons are translating into measurable results across regions, where country-led partnerships are delivering impact at scale:

• Africa: We have contributed to unlocking $4.2 billion in finance towards 49 projects deployed and ready for deployment. We estimate that these projects will improve access for 31 million people, impacting jobs and livelihoods of additional 727,000 people, and reduce 88Mt of carbon emissions.
• India: We have contributed to unlocking $1 billion in financing towards 26 projects deployed and ready for deployment. We estimate that these projects will improve access for 49 million people, impact the jobs and livelihoods of additional 2.2 million people, and reduce 166Mt of carbon emissions.
• Latin America & the Caribbean: We have contributed to unlocking $599mn in finance towards 22 projects deployed and ready for deployment. We estimate that these projects will improve energy access for 7 million people, impact jobs and livelihoods of additional 111,000 people, and reduce carbon emissions by 24 Mt..
• Southeast Asia: We have contributed to unlocking $1.7bn in finance resulting in 37 projects deployed and ready for deployment. We estimate these projects will improve access for 4 million people, improve jobs and livelihoods for an additional 77,000 people, and reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 18 Mt

The Full 2025 Impact Report

Alliance partner perspectives

“Energy is a key enabler of economic opportunity. From productive use equipment programs that improve the working lives of farmers in Rajasthan to mesh grids transforming livelihoods in Haiti, the Global Energy Alliance is working to turn clean power into better futures for families and communities.” — Jessica Anderen, CEO, IKEA Foundation 

“The Global Energy Alliance is proving that universal energy abundance is achievable – which means it’s in our power to solve extreme poverty. This report shows the value of innovative public-private partnerships to tackle electricity access and other 21st-century development challenges. And it’s a call to action to all of us to do even more to break down barriers to progress and extend economic opportunity to everyone.”  — Rajiv Shah, President, The Rockefeller Foundation

“India is proving that economic growth and the clean energy transition can go hand in hand. Enabled by the Government of India’s ambitious targets and supportive policies, ReNew is rapidly scaling solar, wind, and storage solutions that strengthen energy security and create inclusive growth. Consistent with the objectives of the Global Energy Alliance, this accelerates India’s energy transition, and serves as a model for emerging economies worldwide.” — Sumant Sinha, Founder, Chairman & CEO, ReNew Power 

“The multiple crises we face today, from climate breakdown to nature loss and widening inequality, cannot be solved by acting alone. This report shows that when we move beyond silos and embrace true collaboration between business, government, and philanthropy, we unlock solutions at the scale our challenges demand. Only by pooling our resources and aligning around the common good can we deliver the systemic change no single actor can achieve alone.” – Paul Polman, Business leader, investor, philanthropist

Through our partnership with the Global Energy Alliance, OLADE is driving regional collaboration that unites finance, innovation, and political will to scale transformative solutions—such as distributed renewable generation, storage technologies, and cross-border integration—that can accelerate universal access and strengthen energy security. By turning these ambitions into concrete projects and measurable results, we are positioning Latin America and the Caribbean not only as a leader of the global clean energy transition, but as a source of lessons and inspiration for the world.” — Andrés Rebolledo, Executive Secretary, Olade 

“By strengthening our commitment to sustainable and energy-independent development, we are taking significant steps toward realizing India’s vision for 2047. NITI Aayog and GEAPP’s collaborative efforts will focus on implementing innovative solutions that address pressing challenges, promote inclusivity, and ensure that our initiatives benefit the last mile.” — Shri B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, CEO, NITI Aayog, India 

“The world has committed to tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030, and emerging economies must be at the center of that effort. IRENA data clearly shows that despite renewables breaking new records, over 70% of capacity growth occurs in Asia, while other regions, particularly Africa, is falling behind. By building pipelines for 14GW of new renewables and advancing 5GW of battery storage through its BESS Consortium, the Global Energy Alliance is helping translate commitments into reality.” — Francesco La Camera, Director-General, IRENA

The Alliance’s Impact Report offers a compelling insight into how clean energy access is transforming lives and livelihoods. With distributed renewable energy, we have an opportunity to drive inclusive growth while accelerating the transition. In collaboration with the Global Energy Alliance, ISA is ensuring that this potential is realized, reaching every household, farmer, and enterprise. Together, we are proving that collective action can indeed unlock the trillion-dollar investment needed to power a brighter and more equitable world.” — Ashish Khanna, Director General, International Solar Alliance (ISA) 

“Delivering a just energy transition is one of the most important challenges of our time. It is about expanding access to clean, affordable power, while ensuring that people and communities truly feel the benefits in their daily lives—clean air and clean water, and also new jobs, stronger livelihoods, and a real sense of hope and resilience for those most affected by the climate crisis. The Global Energy Alliance has shown that by joining forces across government, communities, philanthropy, and the private sector, we can accelerate systemic change and put people at the heart of a safer, more sustainable world.” — Ambassador Patricia Espinosa, Founding Partner, onepoint5  

“Universal energy access is a cornerstone of global prosperity, security, and human progress. Through the work that the World Bank, African Development Bank, Sustainable Energy for All, The Rockefeller Foundation and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet are doing on Mission 300, we are proving that the right partnerships can deliver transformative energy to those who need it most.” — Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) 

“Clean energy must do more than power grids, it must power lives and livelihoods. Through the Global Energy Alliance, we’re showing what that looks like. From deploying battery storage in India to transforming agriculture in Nigeria, our programs demonstrate how clean energy can unlock productivity, resilience, and inclusive growth in hard-to-reach communities. Together we are building replicable models that prove a clean, prosperous, and fair future is within reach.” — Jon Creyts, CEO, RMI

About the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet

The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet works for a world where everyone has access to affordable, reliable, clean electricity and the means to use it to improve their lives. Our Alliance builds transformative public private philanthropic partnerships to end energy poverty and accelerate green economic opportunity. Founded in 2021 by The Rockefeller Foundation, IKEA Foundation, and Bezos Earth Fund, we mobilize finance, strengthen institutions and transform markets, delivering progress anchored in deep community engagement. By uniting actors across the value chain, from households to heads of state, we go beyond individual projects to drive lasting systemic change. With work in more than 30 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, our Alliance aims to reach 1 billion people with clean electricity, prevent 4 billion tons of carbon emissions and create or improve 150 million jobs.

Media contact | Eric Gay | media@energyalliance.org