Developing Countries: Electricity

(asked on 17th February 2017) - View Source

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2017 to Question 61007 on developing countries: electricity, what action she has taken in light of the conclusion of the report by Blomberg New Energy Finance that new utility-scale wind and solar power are, in most cases, more expensive than coal and gas-fired power in her Department's 28 priority countries.


Answered by
 Portrait
Rory Stewart
This question was answered on 24th February 2017

DFID’s approach is to look carefully at a range of evidence on energy costs when deciding how to support partner countries with their energy strategies. The Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) report referred to is one such source of evidence. Other sources include a more recent publication from BNEF as well as World Bank research. This more recent evidence indicates that utility-scale renewables – in particular solar – is increasingly cost-competitive with gas-fired power even in DFID focus countries.

DFID will always help countries to deliver a mixed energy portfolio suited to their needs. DFID’s recently launched Economic Development Strategy sets out our approach to energy as part of our overall approach to inclusive economic development.

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