A joint initiative to increase clean energy generation and energy efficiency in the Mountain Kingdom, Renewable Lesotho promotes reliable and equitable access to energy, while improving energy sector leadership and capacity.

Launched in 2023, Renewable Lesotho is part of the Global Gateway, Europe’s strategy to boost smart, clean and secure connections in digital, energy and transport sectors, and to strengthen health, education and research systems across the world.

Why Renewable Lesotho?

• Access to energy / Recognising the diverse energy usage and service needs, renewable energy can bring reliable, equitable and affordable access to clean energy to uplift communities.
• Energy independence / Lesotho can meet its own energy needs and potentially become an exporter of clean energy, setting an example for the entire region, and reducing its current energy import bill.
• Climate action / Lesotho is extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change thus the need to invest in clean, accessible, affordable and sustainable energy alternatives.
• Jobs and skills / The energy transition can unlock opportunities, create new jobs, develop new skills, and promote prosperity and sustainable growth.

How?

Renewable Lesotho brings together a toolbox of instruments, including:

• Capacity development: enhancing the knowledge and skills of individuals, organisations, companies, academic and vocational training actors, and institutions;
• Policy & regulatory advice: supporting strategic planning and the establishment of policies and regulations on renewable energy and energy efficiency;
• Stakeholder engagement: creating awareness and encouraging participation of various partners including government, private sector, civil society, academia, and communities in Lesotho’s renewable energy transition;
• Financial support: providing and facilitating different sources and modalities of financing to unlock investments in the renewable energy sector, ranging from results-based grants, equity, loans, and potentially guarantees under EFSD+;
• Infrastructure development: supporting a pipeline of projects ranging from off-grid solutions, mini-grids, solar home systems, to potential larger investments in hydro-, solar, including floating solar, wind energy, and transmission.

Background

Renewable Lesotho is a joint effort between the Government of Lesotho and its relevant Ministries, the European Union Delegation to Lesotho, the European Investment Bank (EIB), European multi-donor platforms GET.transform and GET.invest, the Association of Bilateral European Development Finance Institutions  (EDFI), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Renewable Lesotho is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and particularly SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) as well as the Government of Lesotho’s National Strategic Development Plan II (NSDP II), the EU-Lesotho cooperation strategy for 2021-2027 and Team Europe Initiative – Green Deal.

The EU contribution is EUR 15 million (LSL 300 million) open to additional contributions from other partners. The action is co-funded by the German government to the tune of EUR 860,000 as well as the Irish government with a contribution of EUR 100,000.

Download the PDF version

Download the Action Document for Renewable Lesotho