Electric Power, Energy Transition, Renewables
September 11, 2026
IFC, Cela partner to train lenders on battery storage systems
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HIGHLIGHTS
IFC partners with CELA to train banks on BESS
Brazil plans 4-5 GW storage auctions for 2026
6,091 projects totaling 297 GW seek participation in auction
Consultancy firm Clean Energy Latin America and the International Finance Corp., a member of the World Bank Group focused on the private sector, closed a partnership to offer training and qualify banks and financial institutions about battery energy storage systems, CELA said Sept. 11.
The partnership aims to prepare banks and investors to offer credit to BESS providers as the technology emerges in the Brazilian market.
"Financial institutions are not used to providing credit to this emergent technology, so we aim to unlock these opportunities," CELA CEO Camila Ramos told Platts on Sept. 11.
The Brazilian government has scheduled two storage system auctions for December 2026, which are expected to contract for between 4 GW and 5 GW of capacity, according to market participants. Suppliers are expected to invest between Real 16 billion and Real 20 billion ($3.1-3.9 billion) in the auction, which will mark the country's first large-scale BESS deployment.
So far, suppliers have registered 6,091 projects to participate in the auction, totaling 297 GW of capacity, a record high for electricity auctions in the country.
As a result, Ramos believes this will generate a new class of financeable assets in the country, for which banks are not fully prepared. Among the challenges, investors mention regulatory gaps and technical issues, such as uncertainty about battery useful life.
"Many banks face a lack of project standardization, which makes financing less viable, and we are working to develop industry standards," Ramos said.
IFC will offer training and study materials through its Green Banking Academy (GBAC) platform, extending its access to financial institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean. Courses will be offered in different formats, including tailored training sessions to companies, workshops, seminars and webinars.
The IFC currently has $1 billion invested in BESS projects globally, with a pipeline of over $2.5 billion, IFC and CELA said in an event on the day.
