Solar power is an increasingly affordable, quick-to-build solution for countries in need of additional electricity generation. Yet many emerging markets face challenges to developing photovoltaic projects, as small project sizes and lengthy negotiations increase costs and timelines. Scaling...

In the face of high and volatile fossil fuel prices the government of Jordan launched an aggressive national strategy to increase production of privately financed, commercial scale renewable energy. This pivot was initially met with skepticism from developers and financiers. Yet by aggregating...

Mobile telecommunications has many benefits, from linking communities and citizens to mobile applications that bring financial services to the unbanked and help farmers improve crop yields. Yet at one time it looked as though Africa’s mobile sector might fare as poorly as its fixed line system...

Private sector investment is much needed in emerging markets to upgrade energy supplies, but too often power utilities in these markets are uncompetitive. In order to attract private investment, many aspects of how power utilities are operated need to be reformed. With their experience in...

Private sector financing is essential to bridging the infrastructure gap between emerging markets and developed countries. Given the risk profiles of many of these projects, however, private investors are reluctant to help finance important infrastructure investments. Now, new packages of...

Emerging markets need twice the infrastructure investment they now receive. East Asia has the greatest needs, while Africa’s requirements are large in comparison to its economic size; power generation accounts for more than half of needed investment. There is great potential for increasing...

The World Bank Group is shifting from lending to mobilizing third-party money by leveraging its financial and advisory resources, with the goal of moving from billions to trillions of dollars in development financing. The promising start to Colombia’s 4G road project is evidence of the role...

Bond markets, though still underdeveloped in Africa, are beginning to emerge as a realistic financing option for private companies looking to invest or expand their operations on the continent. Multilateral development banks can play a critical role in that process by issuing bonds in local...

Domestic capital markets are a vital source of stable, sustainable finance, and underpin a private sector associated with employment and economic growth. Yet capital markets are underdeveloped across the emerging-market world, leading to illiquidity, elevated transaction costs, and other...

With the application of new storage capacity technologies, advances in the capabilities of energy networks promise to deliver not only efficiency and productivity gains but also business opportunities for remote areas in emerging countries. New technologies, including those in the fields of...