The Renewable Energy Performance Platform (REPP) is an independent company established by a GBP88m (USD120m) grant funded by UK International Development from the UK government. REPP’s mission is to accelerate Africa’s transition to a sustainable and climate-resilient development pathway. By supporting small-scale, decentralised renewable energy developers, REPP unlocks clean power solutions that advance global development and climate goals. Its investments expand access to affordable, reliable and modern energy in line with SDG 7, while driving climate mitigation and resilience outcomes aligned with SDG 13, the Paris Agreement and the IPCC’s 1.5°C trajectory.

The platform was originally conceived by the UN Environment Programme and the European Investment Bank (EIB) in response to the UN’s Sustainable Energy for All initiative, which seeks to ensure universal energy access and double renewable energy’s share in the global energy mix.

REPP’s Theory of Change illustrates how targeted early-stage support can drive long-term, low emission and climate-resilient development outcomes, contributing to robust local economies, enhanced energy security and improved livelihoods.

REPP also maintains a strong commitment to gender equity and is fully aligned with the 2X criteria for gender lens investing. During its active investment period, 30% of committed capital was deployed to female-owned or female-led companies. Beyond capital, REPP provides gender equality training, supports gender action plan development and builds organisational capacity to embed inclusive practices across investees. REPP’s partnership with the 2X Collaborative further advances equitable climate finance flows through shared knowledge, innovation and advocacy.

To deliver on this mission, REPP has played a catalytic role in breaking longstanding barriers in African renewable energy markets, including limited early-stage capital, scarce local financing options and political or regulatory risk. A defining strength of REPP’s model is its ability to derisk pioneering projects. Through flexible financial instruments, targeted technical assistance and risk mitigation partnerships with DFIs, REPP provides the early confidence required for projects to reach bankability and scale. This approach has strengthened investor trust, unlocked private sector participation and built a more resilient market ecosystem capable of sustaining future clean energy growth.

By the end of its investment period on 31 December 2023, REPP had established itself as an impactful market development platform for small-scale distributed renewable energy across the region, providing flexible capital and support to project developers and demonstrating operational feasibility to other investors and lenders. In 2021, REPP’s achievements were publicly recognised when it won the Transformational Finance Solutions: Impact Investing award at the Financial Times/IFC Transformational Business Awards. In 2022, the platform was identified as one of the most active investors in mini-grids in the World Bank Group’s ESMAP Mini Grids Market Outlook 2022.

Following the end of REPP’s investment period, the focus has shifted to portfolio management, which entails maximising impact and value from REPP’s remaining portfolio with the objective of realising value for money for the UK. Value attainment will be realised through managing the exit from REPP’s investees. The legacy of transformational change as realised by REPP has led to a lasting impact: REPP will build on this through its catalytic role as a junior equity anchor investment in REPP 2, its successor USD250m fund which will drive further investment in Africa’s renewable energy sector, its continued engagement with investee companies and through the dissemination of the lessons it learned.

REPP is funded by UK International Development. Its funding is UK International Climate Finance (ICF) and has the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) as a Member. Initial grant funding was received from the former Department of Energy and Climate Change, before membership transferred to the former Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and then to the FCDO in 2022.