The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), a major philanthropic partnership backed by the Bezos Earth Fund, IKEA Foundation, and Rockefeller Foundation, is preparing to mobilise $7.5 billion over the next five years to accelerate renewable energy access across developing countries. In an exclusive statement to Reuters, GEAPP executives confirmed the target, signalling a strategic scale-up at a time when official development assistance is in decline.

Reaching Over 30 Countries Since 2021

Launched at the 2021 global climate summit, GEAPP has already supported clean energy projects in more than 30 countries. These efforts include expanding electricity grids, installing battery storage systems, and fostering green jobs. The alliance uses blended finance, combining grants and concessional loans with private capital to reduce risk and attract investment from development banks and commercial lenders.

Challenges Amid a Decline in Climate Aid

GEAPP’s funding model is under increasing strain as major donor nations, particularly the United States under President Donald Trump’s administration, continue to scale back climate finance and development aid. According to OECD data, global development assistance dropped by 7.1 percent in real terms in 2024, marking the first decrease in six years. This has added urgency for GEAPP to secure a wider base of philanthropic and institutional backers.

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Building Momentum Ahead of COP in Brazil

Speaking ahead of the UN General Assembly and New York Climate Week, GEAPP CEO Woochong Um stressed the need for innovative partnerships and finance structures. The alliance is setting the stage for COP30 in Brazil this November, where climate finance for the Global South is expected to dominate the agenda. Um also previewed a forthcoming initiative called the “Energy and Opportunity Coalition,” aimed at embedding clean energy into sectors like agriculture, health, and education.

Clean Energy Investment Must Rise Sixfold

The International Energy Agency has estimated that clean energy investments in developing countries (excluding China) must increase sixfold to $1.6 trillion by the early 2030s to keep the world aligned with its climate goals. GEAPP’s plan, though ambitious, still scratches the surface of that demand. Nonetheless, its catalytic approach is helping unlock large-scale energy transitions in markets typically sidelined in global investment flows.

Creating ‘Grids of the Future’

A core focus of GEAPP’s strategy is the transformation of national power grids. The organisation is championing “Grids of the Future”—power systems that are not only renewable-ready but also digitally intelligent and financially resilient. This includes upgrading grid infrastructure and leveraging smart technologies to optimise reliability, efficiency, and sustainability.

Scaling Storage and Digital Infrastructure

GEAPP’s impact is already visible in energy storage, with active battery storage projects in over 20 countries. In India, the alliance is supporting the country’s first standalone utility-scale battery system. In Jaipur, GEAPP is helping digitise 6.5 million utility assets to enable predictive maintenance and avoid costly outages. The result is expected to save more than $50 million annually.

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Global Blueprint for Distributed Energy Transformation

Looking ahead, GEAPP plans to replicate its Jaipur success across 30 utilities globally—ten each in India, Africa, and Latin America/Southeast Asia. This expansion would create a digitally enabled, renewable-ready backbone of distribution utilities, bringing clean, reliable energy to millions and fostering climate resilience in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions.

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