Between 1991 and 2000, the GEF supported eight projects in 12 developing and transitional countries to expand markets for energy-efficient products—lights, refrigerators, industrial boilers, and chillers—mobilizing roughly half a billion dollars in financing.

Many of these initiatives adopted “market transformation” approaches, which seek to shift market structures through both “supply push” (e.g., technical assistance to manufacturers, product standards, voluntary agreements) and “demand pull” (e.g., consumer education, appliance labeling, rebates, utility programs).

Evidence from projects in Thailand, Mexico, and Poland shows large-scale adoption of efficient lighting and appliances, sustained retail price reductions of 30–35 percent, and institutional changes such as new DSM offices and standards.

While some projects faced hurdles in transferring technical know-how, the portfolio overall demonstrates that well-designed market transformation programs can deliver cost-effective emissions reductions and durable market shifts, offering important lessons for future project design.