The ever-increasing electricity cuts is driving more and more people towards alternative energy sources in the form of power inverters, fossil fuels and environment-friendly solar technology to meet their daily household energy demand.  

Sangeeta Rijal installed a solar heating system for her house at Matatirtha in Kathmandu last November. Rijal says the heating system was meant for her family members who had been relying on expensive gas geysers for hot water.  

“We were looking for something durable and cost-effective. Now my family can have hot water even during the shortage of gas or power cuts,” said Rijal. 

Rijal represents hundreds of urban denizens trying to move towards reliable and sustainable energy system to minimise the problems of power crisis in the country. 

To promote use of alternative energy, the government has come up with an initiative to provide subsidy for the urban households installing solar panels on their homes. Under the subsidy programme, households interested to set up solar home system with installed capacity between 100-200KW and above 200KW would be provided Rs 5,000 and Rs 8,000 respectively. Only this week, the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) has already identified 12 municipalities to implement the subsidy programme on solar panels for individual households this week.  

The government is also working on a 20-year renewable energy plan. According to the AEPC data, of the total investment of around Rs 13 billion contributed in promoting and developing renewable energy systems, the government has contributed 8 percent while the rest is supported by development partners. 

However, the investment does not include the investment of 

private companies. 

In 2012, a five-year National Rural and Renewable Energy Programme (NRREP) with estimated budget of Rs 14 billion was launched to further strengthen the efforts of both the government and development partners to reach out to millions of people living in darkness and at the same time improve the quality of 

energy sources provided to the populations connected to the national grid. 

Executive Director of APEC Govind Raj Pokhrel said despite the efforts being made to promote and develop alternative and renewable energy technologies in the country, there is a lack of broader policy to expeidite the process. 

“The renewable energy sector is still out of reach to many due to lack of coherent policy concerning issues like feed-in tariff policy and incentives for private companies and entrepreneurs interested in investing in the sector. These issues should be looked into and addressed immediately,” Pokhrel said. 

Besides solar technology, the country also has a huge potential for wind energy. According to the 2008 Solar and Wind Energy Resource Assessment (SWERA) 

by AEPC, around 3000MW electricity can be generated from wind energy. 

Nepal receives 3.6 to 6.2 Kilowatt hour of solar radiation per square metre a day with roughly 300 days of sun a year, making it ideal for solar energy. 

Solar energy 

The government estimates put the total electricity generated from solar-based technologies such as solar lamp (tuki), cooker and Solar Photo Voltaic (PV) used for cooking, lighting and heating purposes at around 14 MW. Studies have found that Nepal receives solar radiation ranging between 3.6 and 5.9 Kilowatt hour per day. According to AEPC, around 2,100 MW solar can be generated from both sides of the existing national grid.

Bio-gas

Since its introduction in 1955, Bio-gas, popularly known as ‘Gobar Gas, more than 300,000 biogas digesters have been installed in rural districts, while the estimated potential for biogas plants is around 1.9 million. It is also the first and only project registered under the Clean Development Mechanism under the UNFCCC providing money for the country under the compensation mechanism from the rich and industrialised country to poor and developing country. 

Micro/mini hydro 

Around 24 MW electricity is generated from micro-hydro projects (with capacity between 10KW to 100KW). The electricity generated from the micro hydro project has contributed to provide access to meet the basic energy needs for cooking and lighting purposes to millions of rural populations living in remote parts of the country. 

Improved Cooking Stoves (ICS)

About 64 percent households of the country is dependent on firewood for cooking purpose. With the introduction of Improved Cooking Stoves (ICS), cooking has become more environment-friendly and cost-effective. At present around 650,000 households in the country have access to ICS, a modified cooking stove designed to improve the combustion efficiency of biomass that consume less fuel, save time and create a smokeless environment in the kitchen. The country has aimed to declare all 75 districts as Indoor Air pollution Free by 2017 with the distribution of ICSs to the deprived households. 

Wind 

Since the first wind power station was installed at Kagbeni in Mustang in 1985, only around 100 KW wind energy has been generated so far. AEPC study states that around 3,000 MW of electricity can be produced only from wind from the 10 km area of both sides of the existing national grid. 

Geo-thermal 

Though various countries have worked to generate energy from geo-thermal source, Nepal is still on study phase on this regard.