Energy 4 Impact and Mercy Corps announce merger to put energy at the heart of development

Energy 4 Impact and Mercy Corps are proud to announce that we are merging to increase access to climate-smart, sustainable energy, improving the lives of millions of people around the world. Together, we can reach a whole new level of impact and scale.

Through this merger, Mercy Corps will plug Energy 4 Impact’s proven market-oriented delivery of energy access into new geographies and a broader range of programmes, unleashing energy to drive forward agricultural development, economic growth, humanitarian recovery and climate resilience, building initiatives where energy access is the engine for successful sustainable development. 

With the turmoil of climate change, conflict and COVID-19 unravelling many of the development gains made over the past decade and pushing millions more people into poverty, there has never been a more urgent time to help communities build back better with access to cleaner, more sustainable energy. Plus, innovations in renewable energy technology and more sophisticated private sector models means that clean energy solutions are better and more affordable than ever. Together, our organisations have the potential to reach a whole new level of impact and scale," says Anthony Marsh, Chairman of Energy 4 Impact’s board of trustees. 

Tackling some of the most pressing challenges

Of the 800 million people who lack access to energy globally, 8 in 10 live in “fragile” states where communities also struggle against conflict, a dearth of economic opportunities, weak governance, a lack of security and the detrimental effects of climate change and environmental degradation. Yet, energy investment in fragile states has not risen to the level needed.

The recent report by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) calls for urgent action by all nations, especially the major emitters of greenhouse gases, as well as increased funding to help countries who are bearing the brunt of the climate crisis adapt to their new reality. Increasing access to environmentally and financially sustainable forms of energy is vital for both climate resilience and low-carbon economic development. But providing access to energy is not enough: ensuring people and businesses can capitalise on energy access requires a 360-degree approach to meeting the complex needs of marginalised communities.

Together, Mercy Corps and Energy 4 Impact will:

• Work with a far greater number of energy businesses in more low-income countries to overcome the resource gaps — technology, skills, delivery networks and capital — so they can deliver access to underserved markets in the form of solar systems for lighting, heating, cooling and mechanical power, clean cooking, biogas and mini-grid electrification amongst other technologies. 
• Deliver the full package of technical, financial and business support and the energy solutions needed to help agricultural businesses, healthcare systems, small enterprises, educational institutions, and more, to meet the needs of growing populations. 
• Increase impact by building on each other’s technical expertise and reach, opening up new opportunities and funding for placing energy access at the heart of development projects.

Energy 4 Impact believes that this next phase of development will not only bring powerful benefits for the delivery of our mission, but also for our colleagues, collaborators and partners across all their projects. Together, Energy 4 Impact and Mercy Corps, joint in our shared mission of building secure, productive, and just communities, will better enable them to create lasting change.

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a global team of 5,600 humanitarians working to create a world where everyone can prosper. In more than 40 countries affected by crisis, disaster, poverty and climate change they work alongside communities, local governments, forward-thinking corporations and social entrepreneurs to meet urgent needs and develop long-term solutions to make lasting change possible. With a total operating budget of $488M, they reached nearly 37 million people last year.