IHA launches the second call for proposals of the HESG Assessment Fund
The SECO Infrastructure Division is pleased to make the following announcement: IHA launches the second call for proposals of the HESG Assessment Fund.
Last year, the International Hydropower Association (IHA), with support from SECO, has launched a new fund to co-finance assessments with its Hydropower Environmental Social and Governance (HESG) gap analysis tool for hydropower projects. The HESG tool has been developed to allow project developers to assess their projects against common good practice on hydropower sustainability with, among other, the objective to eventually qualify them for climate/green bond financing.
Managed by IHA’s sustainability division, the fund is endowed with CHF 1 million from SECO to co-finance at least 40 HESG assessments over four years (2020-2023).
A first call was launched in February 2020 and led to six assessments, including one for the Stortemelk project in South Africa, a 4.3 MW run-of-river plant developed by a subsidiary of Renewable Energy Holdings (REH). It achieved global good practice rating across 10 environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance criteria in the independent assessment and allowed to publish its results: see Stortemelk — Hydropower Sustainability Tools (hydrosustainability.org)
The first call was limited to SECO priority countries.
The second call for proposals involves CHF 350’000 and is open to SECO and SDC priority countries.
It was launched on 12 February 2021 and is open for proposals until 12 May 2021.
For details and to submit proposals, please follow the link: IHA sustainability assessment fund expands to more countries (hydropower.org)
