US-India Clean Energy Finance (USICEF)
From 2016-2023, CPI managed the US-India Clean Energy Finance (USICEF) initiative: India’s first project preparation and pipeline development facility to support promising distributed solar projects to develop into viable investment opportunities and drive long-term debt financing.
USICEF is a keystone of the commitment made between the Indian and US governments to mobilize finance for Indian distributed clean energy projects.
USICEF supported more than 45 early-stage businesses across 20 states in India that went on to mobilize more than 30x in commercial capital over the initial grants provided.
Featured work
Publication
The Future of Distributed Renewable Energy in India
India will require an annual DRE investment of USD 18 billion by 2024, a 10x increase from current levels to meet its sustainability targets. This CPI report outlines the benefits and market potential of India’s DRE sector, examines the current policy and institutional landscape, and provides tailor...
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Credit Support Pathways for Rooftop Solar Projects in India
The proposed Credit Guarantee Mechanism addresses the most important barriers to scaling rooftop solar in the MSME sector; and could be crucial if India wants to achieve its rooftop solar target by 2022.
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Drivers and Challenges for Rooftop Solar Loans to Small and Medium Enterprises in India
A CAPEX model with a commercial loan for the off-taker is a potential solution for these categories of customers. In this report, we assess the viability of the CAPEX loan model with a focus on the MSME sector, identify barriers to uptake, and recommended policy solutions to these barriers.
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Unlocking Climate Risk Insurance: The Role of Public Development Banks
Rising climate risks demand stronger economic resilience. While vital for everything from small farms to infrastructure, insurance remains limited in EMDEs. Our report explores how scaling these solutions can protect physical assets and unlock capital for high-risk markets.
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Alternative Models for Transmission Financing in Indonesia
This report evaluates alternative project financing models that could enable greater private investment in Indonesia grid infrastructure, allowing risk sharing, improved access to capital, and enhanced financial sustainability for PLN.
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DBSA: Financial instrument design for an effective carbon market in South Africa
The Development Bank of Southern Africa, in partnership with the FiCS Innovation Lab Incubator, has developed two novel financial instruments designed to transform carbon credits from complex assets into de-risked, bankable products.
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The Regenerative Agriculture Fund: A scalable blueprint for Agri-innovation in EMDEs
EMDE agriculture faces a double-bind: it’s a climate risk driver and its biggest victim. BDMG’s RA Fund breaks this cycle. Using a three-tiered approach to de-risk, empower, and align incentives, this model turns policy into reality. Download the report to explore the future of agri-innovation...
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Closing the Rural Credit Divide: Pathways to Increase PRONAF Access for Smallholders
In this publication, researchers from CPI/PUC-RIO identify the main barriers to credit and outline pathways to expand family farmers’ access to PRONAF in order to boost sustainable production and climate resilience.
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Landscape of Climate Finance in Ethiopia
Ethiopia’s climate finance landscape tracks mitigation and adaptation flows from 2019–2023, revealing gaps between investment needs and available finance. It highlights sources, uses, and priorities that support climate action in one of Africa’s fastest-growing and climate-vulnerable economies.
