Clean Sustainable Energy Solutions For Nepal

Clean Sustainable Energy Solutions for Nepal
Viable options to solve Nepals energy woes in a short period of time

Ashish Singh
Dawa Sherpa
Krishna Baral
Richa Shahi
Rojita Tamrakar
Sanjay Gautam
Ace Institute of Management EMBA Fall 2015
Seminar Class Presentation (Group One)
Date: 18th November 2016
Running head: Clean Sustainable Energy Solutions for Nepal
Clean Sustainable Energy Solutions for Nepal

Viable options to solve Nepals energy woes in a short period of time
Recently, the government has started a campaign to make Kathmandu Valley free of loadshedding. Speaking at a press meet at the Energy Ministry, Minister Janardan Sharma said the Nepal
Electricity Authority (NEA) is technically in the position of continuing the no power outage drive in the
future, too (Anna Note, 2016). The daily electricity demand of the valley is around 300 megawatts
although the demand during the nighttime is halved. In the past, the denizens of the valley have sustained
daily power outages of up to 18 hours. While many governments came and left over the past decade, each
of them with their own agenda and promise to end the energy crisis, there seemed no respite in sight. The
devastating earthquake of April 2015 caused some pretty significant damages to the nations energy
infrastructure and the unofficial blockade imposed later that year just multiplied the problem by the order
of magnitude. The powerful April 25 earthquake in Nepal damaged 14 existing hydropower dams,
including the 45-megawatt (MW) Upper Bhotekoshi Hydropower Project, according to the Nepal Electric
Authority (Schneider, 2015). Few transmission lines and some substations also sustained damages as a
direct result of the powerful shake. To make the matter worse, the unofficial blockade imposed by India
further escalated the problem as consumers couldnt help but seek their energy need for cooking and other
daily chores from electrical appliances as there was a severe shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)
for cooking purposes. As a result the transformers around the country started blowing up like Tihar time
patakas.
At the height of the crisis, the energy demand of the valley alone surpassed 500 MW. That
demand has now regressed back to the average of around 250-300 MW with the respite coming from
additional supply of electricity from newly installed powerhouses, restorations of earthquake induced
damage inflicted infrastructures and also increased import from India. This year a total of 150 MW
additional electricity has been introduced to the national grid with additional 90 MW imported from India
and 25 MW from newly operational Upper Marshyangdi A Hydropower Station (Biyog, 2016). Also, the
regular supply of petroleum products and LPGs have provided big boost to the NEAs commitment to
make the valley free of outages. One thing to note here is that the daily demand stated is a mere
suppressed demand and not the demand the consumers would put forward if they were to switch to
electricity for all their energy needs. Nevertheless, NEAs effort so far has been commendable and we, the
Kathmanduities, do seem to be living in the utopian world free of load-shedding for now. Is this effort
good enough for how long do we expect to enjoy perennial supply of electricity? Or is it just a temporary
fix to a problem that needs significant overhauling than just adding meager import and re-commissioning
old/damaged infrastructures and the power outages is imminent? Nepals total installed capacity is of
around 787 MW. In 2012, utilities in Texas a U.S. state of comparable population generated more
than 28,000 MW of electrical capacity, according to the Energy Information Administration, a unit of the
federal Department of Energy (Schneider, 2015). An independent study jointly conducted by the National
Planning Commission (NPC) and Investment Board Nepal (IBN) has made a forecast that in another 25
years the per capita energy consumption is expected to hover at around 1,000 kWh/year and the country
needs to develop 10,000 MW energy by 2040. As per NEA, the current energy deficit stands at 45 per
cent. So how exactly do we tackle this problem that has been crippling the country, restraining it from
meeting its true economic growth and prosperity? We believe that Nepal is a land of diverse renewable
resources that are not only sufficient to sustain our own energy need but ample enough to make our
country an aggregate energy exporter thus reducing our trade deficit by many folds. The only thing that
needs to be done is to make policy level changes as the technology and the resources already exists. To
correctly assess the feasibility of the sustainable renewable resource energy, first we need to look at the
current energy situation in Nepal.
Energy Situation in Nepal

Nepals average annual per capita electricity consumption
is about 161 kWh (CBS, 2013) one of the lowest consumption in
South Asia. Only 67 per cent of the countrys households have
access to electricity, comprising 58 per cent from the national grid
and 9 per cent from the off-grid solutions. Around 94% of urban
and 60% of rural households have access to electricity. About
30% of mountain households, 22% of hill households and
28% of Terai households are using lighting options other than electricity and solar. Only 49% population
in the mountain region have access to electricity and 21% have solar. Still 30% population is relying on
inferior energy sources for meeting their lighting needs in the mountain region (Adhikari, 2016).
Accounting for more than 70% of consumption, firewood is the predominant energy source as only 33
percent of the countrys households still dont have access to electricity. However the use of firewood is a
significant health risk and also a threat to deforestation. Unstable government and gross neglect from the
authorities has caused deferred investment in the energy infrastructures leading to power cuts of up to 18
hours a day during the dry season. As the situation persists, industries and commercial entities have opted
for costly and dirtier alternatives like fossil fuels to meet their demand. The value of oil and petroleum
products imported in 2015 was Rs. 110 billion, which is more than the total value of goods and services
Nepal exported in that year (Ghimire, 2016). Ten years ago, we had assessed that the energy crisis will
be a burden for the country. We have seen it now. Unfortunately, the government did nothing to avoid it,
complains FNCCI President Pashupati Murarka. The power demand of the country is expected to climb
2000 MW by next two years alone. Rather than waiting for the next big project to offer panacea to all our
energy woes, we should divert our attention to already available and manageable solutions that can be
sustained and provide clean, renewable energy for the country.
Sustainable Energy
In the last decade dissemination of renewable energy in rural areas
has been effectively promoted with assistance of the Development Partners.
Decentralized electricity generation and biogas installations thereby improve
rural
living condition and contribute to a more sustainable use of biomass. Rising

energy costs and prevailing energy scarcity increase attention to the
efficient use of energy. Reasonable potentials for energy efficiency measures
have been identified in industry and households as well as public infrastructure (NEEP, 2016).
When it comes to energy use, we can broadly divide it into two categories:
Lightning
Cooking
We have the capacity to fulfill our lightning demands in a reasonably short period of time with
solutions such as grid extension, micro-hydropower and solar home system. The situation for cooking is
however a little more complicated. LPG and biogas are considered to be the clean source of energy as
opposed to firewood. Only about 25% of the households rely on clean cooking fuel while a total of 64%
of the households rely on firewood as their primary source for cooking (Adhikari, 2016). Also, as we
mentioned before, as Nepal has no fossil fuel reserve, the import of LPG bears a huge economic cost.
Hydroelectricity is however a preferred medium for cooking but it is inept to meet the cooking energy
demands immediately and is feasible alternative only in the long term.
In the words of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Energy is the golden thread that connects
economic growth, increased social equity, and an environment that allows the world to thrive."
Sustainable Energy for All (SEforAll) is a global initiative which aims at mobilizing actions from the
government, private sector and civil society in order to achieve that golden thread. Citing a need to
rethink radically about the way we produce, distribute and use energy, SEforALL is working towards
three ambitious objectives for 2030:
ensuring universal access to modern energy services

doubling the global rate of improvements in energy efficiency
doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix
The Government of Nepal expressed its interest to join the SE4All initiative in June 2012, and has made
firm commitments to support it (Adhikari, 2016).
Renewable Energy
Renewable energy (RE) sources not only has all the characteristics of sustainable energy but also requires
that they have no impact on the environment and human health. Nepal has made a significant progress in
rural and RE (not including hydropower above 100 kW) sector however the contribution to the total
energy is insignificant only 1.66 % as of 2012/13 where total of 36 MW was produced from such
sources (Adhikari, 2016). Here is a quick breakdown:
26.27 MW from micro-hydropower

10 MW from solar photovoltaic
18 kW from wind
43 kW from biomass energy sources
As the ratio of RE to the total energy generated is negligible, we

should target towards increasing the share of RE in replacing the use of fossil fuels for cooking and
transportation purposes. We have identified following RE energy solutions that are feasible for Nepal:
Micro-hydro
Biogas
Solar
Waste to energy
Wind
Micro Hydropower
People in the rural areas use to build water mills (locally called as ghatta) for harnessing
waterpower for the purpose of processing of agricultural products. The formal use of micro hydropower
was initiated during the decade of 1960s in Nepal. Swiss assisted to establish a manufacturing company
named Balaju Yantra Shala in Kathmandu in 1960. United Missions to Nepal (UMN) initiated
establishment of institutions to support technology development mostly in Butwal (western part of Nepal)
more or less at the same period.
Most of equipment or components (e.g.,
Turbines, Trash Racks, Mild steel Pipes, Conductors
and Load Controllers) are, in general, locally
manufactured in Nepal. The evolution of the
standardization process, rather in a limited manner,
started from late eighties. Intermediate Technology
Development Group (ITDG) and the Agricultural Development Bank of Nepal (ADB/N) initialed a joint
programme in order to enhance the technological base of the micro-hydro installations in the country
(Mini/Micro Hydro, 2016).
Micro hydro shall be understood as hydroelectric generating units with capacities ranging above
10 to 100 kW. Micro-hydro has the potential to be a major source of energy for rural areas. Water is
plentiful in the rugged hills of Nepal and micro-hydro provides a more practical and cost effective
alternative to the national grid. Micro hydro consists of following activities:
Develop and promote the use of micro-hydro technology.
Carry out surveys and feasibility studies for micro-hydro projects.
Provide services to support the sustainable development of micro-hydro projects in

Nepal.
Conduct training for micro-hydro users and service providers.
Work to establish local support structures for mini-grid electrification.
Provide quality control services for micro-hydro equipment.

(Micro Hydro, 2016)
Advantages of micro hydro
Efficient energy source

It only takes a small amount of flow (as little as two gallons per minute) or a drop as low as two
feet to generate electricity with micro hydro. Electricity can be delivered as far as a mile away to
the location where it is being used.
Reliable electricity source

Hydro produces a continuous supply of electrical energy in comparison to other small-scale
renewable technologies. The peak energy season is during the winter months when large
quantities of electricity are required.
No reservoir required
Micro hydro is considered to function as a run-of-river system, meaning that the water passing
through the generator is directed back into the stream with relatively little impact on the
surrounding ecology.
Cost effective energy solution

Building a small-scale hydro-power system can cost from $1,000 $20,000, depending on site
electricity requirements and location. Maintenance fees are relatively small in comparison to
other technologies.
Power for developing countries

Because of the low-cost versatility and longevity of micro hydro, developing countries can
manufacture and implement the technology to help supply much needed electricity to small
communities and villages.
Integrate with the local power grid

If your site produces a large amount of excess energy, some power companies will buy back your
electricity overflow. You also have the ability to supplement your level of micro power with
intake from the power grid
Disadvantages of micro hydro
Suitable site characteristics required

In order to take full advantage of the electrical potential of small streams, a suitable site is
needed. Factors to consider are: distance from the power source to the location where energy is
required, stream size (including flow rate, output and drop), and a balance of system components
inverter, batteries, controller, transmission line and pipelines.
Energy expansion not possible

The size and flow of small streams may restrict future site expansion as the power demand
increases.
Low-power in the summer months

In many locations stream size will fluctuate seasonally. During the summer months there will
likely be less flow and therefore less power output. Advanced planning and research will be
needed to ensure adequate energy requirements are met.
Environmental impact
The ecological impact of small-scale hydro is minimal; however the low-level environmental
effects must be taken into consideration before construction begins. Stream water will be diverted
away from a portion of the stream, and proper caution must be exercised to ensure there will be
no damaging impact on the local ecology or civil infrastructure.
Misconceptions about micro hydropower
Small streams do not provide enough force to generate power

The Truth: Energy output is dependent on two major factors: the stream flow (how much water
runs through the system) and drop (or head), which is the vertical distance the water will fall
through the water turbine.
A large water reservoir is required

The Truth: Most small-scale hydro systems require very little or no reservoir in order to power
the turbines. These systems are commonly known as run-of-river, meaning the water will run
straight through the generator and back into the stream. This has a minimal environmental impact
on the local ecosystem.
Hydro generators will damage the local ecosystem

The Truth: Careful design is required to ensure the system has a minimal impact on the local
ecology. A small amount of energy compromise may result, but this will ensure that the project
does not have an effect on local fish stocks. The Environment Agency requires that stream levels
must be maintained at a certain level in order to sustain the life within. Since there is no loss of
water in the generation process, these requirements can easily be met.
Micro hydroelectricity is unreliable

The Truth: Technology advances (such as maintenance-free water intake equipment and solidstate electrical equipment) ensure that these systems are often more reliable in remote areas.
Often these systems are more dependable than the local power main.
The electricity generated is low quality

The Truth: If the latest electronic control equipment, inverters and alternators are used, the
resultant power supply has the potential to be of higher quality the main electrical power grid.
Hydro power is free

The Truth: Micro power development can be cost-intensive to build and maintain. There are some
fixed maintenance costs. These costs vary according to site location and material requirements.
(Micro Hydro Power, 2016)
As a result of many successful systems for financing and organizing Micro hydropower (MHP)
projects, together with the development of a well-established domestic MHP industry, the rate of
installation of MHP plants has increased much during the past decade. However, some aspects of MHP in
Nepal still need to be improved, one very important aspect being the maintenance. Many professionals
working in different areas of MHP in Nepal have observed that maintenance is lacking at a majority of the
plants, with negative effects on the economy and the life of the plant. One solution is to establish a MHP
repair and maintenance (R&M) center closer to the location of the MHP plants. Today, R&M services and
sales of spare parts are mainly offered in the two locations of Kathmandu and Butwal, both far from the
majority of Nepals MHP plants.
Biogas
Biogas is a biofuel produced from the anaerobic fermentation of carbohydrates in plant material
or waste (e.g. agricultural waste, manure, municipal waste, plant material, sewage, green waste or food
waste) by bacteria. It is mainly composed of methane, with some carbon dioxide and other trace gases.
Biogas is a renewable energy source and in many cases exerts a very small carbon footprint. Bio gas is a
clean unpolluted and cheap source of energy in rural areas. It consists of 55-70% methane which is
inflammable. Bio gas is produced from cattle dung in a bio gas plant commonly known as gobar gas plant
through a process called digestion.
Biogas is primarily methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2). The percentage composition of
biogas largely depends on the type of input material (substrate or feedstock) and could vary based on
experimental conditions. This energy release allows biogas to be used as a fuel; it can be used for any
heating purpose, such as cooking. It can also be used in a gas engine to convert the energy in the gas into
electricity and heat.
Table 1: Average Composition of Biogas
Substance
Methane
Carbon dioxide
Hydrogen
Nitrogen
Water Vapour
Hydrogen Sulphide
Symbol
CH4
CO2
H2
N2
H2O
H2S
Percentage
50 - 70
30 - 40
5 - 10
1-2
0.3
Traces
In Nepal biogas produced from the anaerobic digestion of manure in small-scale digestion
facilities is called gobar gas. The most common biogas plants used in Nepal are small household based
fixed dome models. They are cheap to build and can be constructed by using materials available locally.
Household biogas plants commonly use kitchen, toilet waste and cattle manure. The Nepal government
provides subsidies to build biogas plant at Household level.
History of Biogas in Nepal
Nepal has over half century long history of research and promotion of biogas technology, initially
with personal or private attempts. The first historical biogas system was introduced in 1955 at St. Xaviers
School in Godavari, Kathmandu. On the occasion of Agricultural Year, a biogas programme was
launched by the government as a special program in 1975. This marked the beginning of the growth in the
implementation of biogas systems. After establishment of Biogas Support Programme (BSP) under the
Netherlands Development Organization (SNV) in 1992 and creation of Alternative Energy Promotion
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Center (AEPC) under the Ministry of education science and technology (MoEST) in 1996, the biogas
promotional activities in Nepal has achieved significant momentum. Further momentum in the
development took place in 1977 with the establishment of the Gobar Gas Company (GGC), a pioneering
and leading biogas system construction company in Nepal. At present the biogas technology is being
promoted by National Rural and Renewable Energy Programme under AEPC supported by the
Government of Nepal, DANIDA, the Norwegian Government, The German Development Bank (KfW),
WB, SNV and DFID.
Recently, AEPC has started the promotion of "Sahari Gharelu Biogas Plants" (SGBP).
Advantages of Biogas
1. Provides a non-polluting and renewable source of energy.
2. Efficient way of energy conversion (saves fuelwood).
3. Saves women and children from drudgery of collection and carrying of firewood, exposure to
smoke in the kitchen, and time consumed for cooking and cleaning of utensils.
4. Produces enriched organic manure, which can supplement or even replace chemical fertilizers.
5. Leads to improvement in the environment, and sanitation and hygiene.
6. Provides a source for decentralized power generation.
7. Leads to employment generation in the rural areas.
8. Household wastes and bio-wastes can be disposed of usefully and in a healthy manner.
9. The technology is cheaper and much simpler than those for other bio-fuels, and it is ideal for
small scale application.
10. Any biodegradable matter can be used as substrate.
11. Anaerobic digestion inactivates pathogens and parasites, and is quite effective in reducing the
incidence of water borne diseases.
12. Environmental benefits on a global scale: Biogas plants significantly lower the greenhouse effects
on the earths atmosphere. The plants lower methane emissions by entrapping the harmful gas and
using it as fuel.
Disadvantages of Biogas
1. The product (biogas) value is rather low; this makes it an unattractive commercial activity.
2. The biogas yields are lower due to the dilute nature of substrates.
3. The process is not very attractive economically (as compared to other biofuels) on a large
industrial scale.
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4. Recombinant DNA technology and even strain improvement techniques cannot be used to
enhance the efficiency of the process.
5. The only improvement in the process, can be brought about by optimizing the environmental
conditions of the anaerobic digestion.
6. Biogas contains some gases as impurities, which are corrosive to the metal parts of internal
combustion engines.
Biogas is one such alternative, especially in the rural communities, which offers the opportunity of
providing a renewable source of household energy with extremely low global warming commitment.
Biogas project is the first project in Nepal with significant contribution to the countrys economy through
carbon trading. Biogas has been the most successful and sustainable project in terms of environmental
pollution reduction, basically through energy saving and emission reduction.
Solar Energy
Nepal is blessed with solar resource as it lies at 30 Northern latitude which is ideal and there are
over 300 days of sunshine annually. On average Nepal has 6.8 sunshine hours per day, i.e. 2,482 sunshine
hours per year with average intensity of 4.7 kWh/m2/day (Shrestha, 2014).
The Government of Nepal recently announced a new policy for subsidizing renewable energy for
commercial and residential customers. This new policy is aimed at incentivizing accountability and longterm performance, ensuring that renewable energy systems are reliable investments in Nepal. Under the
new program, the government is subsidizing interest rates on bank loans made through seven local banks.
There are two types of subsidies:
Commercial projects (greater than 1.5 kW) = subsidy interest rates of 4.5%
Residential projects (smaller than 1.5 kW) = subsidy interest rates of 2.5%
Under this program, customers pay for solar in affordable installations over several years, without
accruing high interest burdens during the payment period. With the upfront cost of solar broken into
affordable payments, solar payments are now on par or less expensive than a business would spend on
diesel fuel (Shrestha, 2014).
Advantage of Solar Energy
Cheaper than Diesel/Petrol Plant
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100% Clean Energy

Solar cookers can be used for cooking purposes
Quick Installation
Accessible in rural and urban
Urban solar is programme
Urban solar is programme which is implemented in electrified area of country by national grid
through AEPC. The Government of Nepal (GoN) has started this programme from fiscal year (2070/71).
The main objective of this program is to address acute shortage of energy and inefficient consumption of
electricity, which has caused great discomfort in everyday life of urban areas and hugely hindered the
development of country.
In the fiscal year 072/073, Government of Nepal (GoN) announced to support installation of solar
PV system. The Government of Nepal (GoN) has made numerous efforts to address the issues of load
shedding and to reduce the supply-demand gaps of electricity .However, the significant improvement in
the situations is yet to be seen and an innovative and different approach rather than conventional one is
felt necessary (AEPC - URBAN SOLAR, 2016).
Waste-to-energy
Waste-to-energy (WtE) or energy-from-waste (EfW) is the process of generating energy in the
form of electricity and/or heat from the primary treatment of waste. WtE is a form of energy recovery.
Most WtE processes produce electricity and/or heat directly through combustion, or produce a
combustible fuel commodity, such as methane, methanol, ethanol or synthetic fuels.
In a growing world, where the conventional forms of energy are fast moving towards extinction
as well as are contributing generously to global concerns like the greenhouse effect and global warming,
the need to innovate and employ alternate or unconventional energy sources has become crucial for the
existence of a future. Waste-to-Energy, also widely recognized by its acronym WtE is the generation of
energy in the form of heat or electricity from waste. Using developing technology, these various methods
aim to compress and dispose waste, while attempting the generation of energy from them.
Each month millions of tons of waste is produced. Either they become a part of landfill or are
exported to third world countries. This causes huge environmental impact in terms of wildlife,
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ecosystems and to human health. Keeping this in mind, many new waste treatment plants have come up
and have developed new ways to generate energy from landfill waste.
Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has imitated transfer station plant where three tonnes of
solid organic waste will be collected from the town daily and produced 14 KW of electricity. Besides
producing electricity, the plant will also produce 300 KG of bio organic fertiliser, 300 cubic metre of bio
gas along with 1500 litres of treated water. The pilot project is supported by European Union (EU). This
project will help to reduce pollution due to organic waste and subsidy to provide electricity to street
lights. The KMC team will continue in larger scale if it succeeds as expected. The project was started in
2014 and will be completed in 2017. However, the major challenge is not having proper mechanism to
separate organic and non-organic waste from the source. The other challenges are lack of expertise and
proper management.
Biofuel
Biofuel refers to as liquid or gaseous fuels that produced from biomass. Liquid biofuel is
primarily used to fuel vehicles, fuel engine or fuel cell for electric generation. It can also be used for
lighting and cooking proposes by using lamps and cooking stoves. Biofuel can be produced in two ways.
First, by growing high in sugar or starch rich crops and ferment it to produce ethanol. Second, by growing
plants such as oil palm, soybean, algae, or Jatropha those containing high amounts of vegetable oil and
converting it to biodiesel. As advantages of biofuel, there is possibility to be produced locally,
environment friendly, less costly and capable to perform equivalent to petroleum fuel.
AEPC/Government of Nepal (GoN) has been implementing National Biofuel Program since the fiscal
year 2008/09 by focusing particular in plantation of Jatropha Curcas for the production of biodiesel
because it doesnt need much water and thus can be produced in marginal land and also it doesnt have
food value, thus doesnt affect food supply to society compared to other feedstock. The annual production
of Jatropha will be 5000 kg/ha/yr and average revenue will be Rs. 5000 per ha which is almost double the
revenue from rice and wheat (cffn.ca). Since it has high oil content (47.25%) it is more promising
feedstock for biodiesel production. GoN has provided support for Jatropha plantation in 31 districts so far
(AEPC). It also provides feasibility study on business plan under The Renewable Energy Subsidy Policy
2012. (Renewable Energy Subsidy Policy 2073). However, it has not yet effectively mobilized private
investment or commercial credit. Most of the programs are running by NGOs/INGOs, funded by GoN
and Development Partners (DPs). If private investors can be encouraged to come to the market, better
management skills and technology dissemination can be practiced. The challenges are low utilization
rates for energy produced and high dependence on subsidy which is not attracting private investments.
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GoN is required to bring the revised policy to attract private investors which can open a competitive
market.
Wind Energy
The terms "wind energy" or "wind power" describe the process by which the wind is used to
generate mechanical power or electricity. Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy in the wind into
mechanical power. This mechanical power can be used for specific tasks (such as grinding grain or
pumping water) or a generator can convert this mechanical power into electricity to power homes.
Advantages of Wind Energy
Green: Wind energy is a green energy source. Harnessing wind energy does not pollute the
environment nearly as much as fossil fuels, coal and nuclear power do.
Enormous Potential: The potential of wind power is absolutely incredible. Several independent
research teams have reached the same conclusions. Harnessing wind energy can be done almost
anywhere.
Renewable: Wind energy is a renewable source of energy. Wind is naturally occurring and there
is no way we can empty the energy resources.

Space-Efficient: The largest wind turbines are capable of generating enough electricity to meet
the energy demand of 600 average U.S. homes. The wind turbines can`t be placed too close to
each other, but the land in-between can be used for other things. This is why many farms would
benefit more from installing wind turbines as opposed to solar panels.

Rapid Growth: Although wind power only accounts for about 2.5% of total worldwide
electricity production, the capacity is growing at an incredible rate of 25% per year (2010). This
does not only contribute in the fight against global warming, but also helps lowering costs.
Prices are decreasing: Prices have decreased over 80% since 1980. Thanks to technological
advancements and increased demand, prices are expected keep decreasing in the foreseeable
future.
Low Operational Costs: It is generally true that operational costs tend to be low once the
turbines first have been manufactured and erected. However, not every wind turbine is created
equal some are more susceptible to maintenance than others.

Good Domestic Potential: People can generate their own electricity with wind power in much
the same manner as people do with the best solar panels (photovoltaic).
Disadvantages of Wind Energy
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Unpredictable: Wind is unpredictable and the availability of wind energy is not constant. Wind
energy is therefore not well suited as a base load energy source. If we had cost-effective ways of
storing wind energy the situation would be different.

Costs: The cost-competitiveness of wind power is highly debatable. Both utility-scale wind farms
and small residential wind turbines typically rely heavily on financial incentives. This is to give
wind power a fair chance in the fierce competition against already well-established energy
sources such as fossil fuels and coal.

Threat to Wildlife: Birds, bats and other flying creatures have slim chances of surviving when
taking a direct hit from a rotating wind turbine blade. However, some environmentalists have
blown this issue out of proportions.

Noise: Noise is a problem for some people that live in the proximity of wind turbines. Building
wind turbines in urban environments should be avoided. Noise is not a problem with offshore
wind turbines at all. New designs show significant improvements compared to older models and
generate less noise.

Looks: While most people actually like how wind turbines look, there is always some who don`t.
Wind turbines leave a smaller footprint on land compared to the majority of other energy sources
(including solar, nuclear and coal). The problem is mitigated if the wind turbines are built outside
urban areas.
Wind Energy in Nepal

Although government plans for developing the wind energy sector in Nepal have existed for some
time, it is only since the establishment of AEPC in 1996 that serious research and development has taken
place. Despite these efforts, wind energy is still in its infancy in Nepal and limited data is available for
research and modeling. Nepal's rugged geography presents another challenge to wind energy projects.
Wind energy development projects carried out by the private sector and I/NGOs in the past have
met with limited success, and unfortunately, some of the more viable efforts have folded due to lack of
maintenance. A case in point is the Kagbeni wind power project which was one of the biggest projects to
date. Installed in 1987 under Danish Government funding it was able to generate up to 20 kW before lack
of maintenance shut it down.
SWERA project
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The Solar and Wind Energy Resource Assessment (SWERA) project, a first of its kind in Nepal
was implemented by Alternative Energy Promotion Center (APEC) in joint in-country Partnership with
Center for Energy studies/ IOE with the support from United Nations Environment Program/Global
Environment Facility (UNEP/GEF).
Apart from SWERA project, AEPC has been monitoring continuously wind data from the
potential sites of the country. Thini and Kagbeni sites of Mustang district have shown good wind potential
and these sites could be developed for wind farming, as there is possibility of feeding the generated power
into the national grid.
Recorded wind data stations with time period are as follows.
Okhaldhunga (Apr 2001-Aug 2005)
Nagarkot (Bhaktapur) (Jun 2001-Apr 2006)
Butwal (Rupandehi) (Mar 2001-Aug 2003)
Kagbeni (Mustang) (Apr 2001-Feb 2006)
Thini (Mustang) (Apr 2001-Jun 2007)
Batase Danda (Palpa) (Sep 2003-Dec 2006)
Ramechhap (Jul 2005-Oct 2007)
Phakhel (Makwanpur) (Oct 2007-April 2009)
AEPC building (Feb 2009-end of March 2009)
Neta (Pyuthan) (Dec 2007-Feb 2011)
AEPC is also involved in action research of wind energy. The establishment of Wind - Solar
Power Pilot Project in four sites is complete. The project sites were identified considering factors for
safety, availability of attendants, cost effectiveness and demonstrability to rural community as well as
sufficient availability of wind resource. All the systems have benefited backward rural population.
Besides electrification a mechanical wind pumping systems was also piloted in Bhagauda VDC in
Biratnagar.
17
Conclusion
Nepal is a land of diversified land structure and varied resources. We all have heard about our
immense potential for hydroelectricity generation of which a total of 42,000 MW is technically and
economically feasible. But the high investment cost and the infeasibility of grid expansion and
transmission to rural areas make big hydro projects not suitable for the short term relief. However micro
hydro projects with installed capacity of less than 100 kW is both economically viable and suitable for
rural hilly areas of Nepal. Also, the latitudes of our country is such that we get around 300 days of
sunshine in a year which gives us ample solar radiation to harness solar energy. From solar energy alone,
around 2,920 GWh of energy per year can be harnessed with utilization of just 0.01% of the total land
area of Nepal (Pokharel, 2012). Other renewable resources like biomass and wind power are also
abundant and economically feasible to harness. Rather than waiting for mega-projects to save us from our
energy woes, we can fulfill our own demands by utilizing these resources in a relatively short period of
time.
Another notion to take into account is Energy Efficiency (EE). EE is the effort to reduce the
energy footprint required to provide products and services. So using energy in an efficient way not only
saves us money by utilizing less energy, but also helps improve the environment by emitting less
emission. For instance a CFL lamp is up to 4 times more efficient than a regular incandescent lamp. Nepal
has the lowest energy productivity among the South Asian countries. So, at the moment the EE movement
is insignificant due to low energy consumption. However as the consumption increases in the future, EE
measures will become more attractive.
So the NEAs dream to make the valley load-shedding free zone this winter might just be realized
especially since the study on synchronization of Indian grid with Nepali grid at 220kV level through
which power imported from the southern neighbor can be brought to Kathmandu is about to finalize after
which additional 70 MW of power will be imported to Kathmandu through Kathmandu-Hetauda
transmission line (Acharya, 2016). But how will the authorities cope deep into the winter when the water
level starts to dip in Kulekhani, the countrys only reservoir type power generating house and the supply
from the rest, run-of river based projects, declines to only one-third of their installed capacity is yet to be
seen. Anyways, importing more energy from India, either in the form of petroleum products or directly
through transmission lines can only be seen as a temporary fix to a permanent problem. Eventually we
have to be responsible for our own needs and implement policies and strategies to make Nepal energy
independent which is actually quite doable. Big hydropower projects are definite long term solution but in
the mean time we should invest on other renewable resources which are both sustainable and clean.
Institutions like Alternative Energy Promotion Center (AEPC) are there acting as intermediary between
18
the implementation level and the policy decision levels in relevant ministries. So, the technology and
awareness is already there. What we need is incentives and strong policy initiatives. Maybe then we can
envision a clean, brighter and prosperous Nepal as according to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon,
Energy is the golden thread that connects economic growth, increased social equity, and an environment
that allows the world to thrive.
19
References
Anna Note (2016, November 10). Campaign for ending load-shedding to continue: Minister Sharma.
Annapurna Post. Retrieved from http://annapurnapost.com
Schneider, Keith (2015, May 05). Nepal Earthquake Damages At Least 14 Hydropower Dams. Circle of
Blue. Retrieved from http://www.circleofblue.org/
Biyog, Laxman (2016, November 12). The capital in load shedding. Nagarik, pp. 1, 2
CBS, 2013 Nepal in Figures 2013 Central Bureau of Statistics, National Planning Commission
Secretariat, Government of Nepal
Adhikari, Devendra (2016, April 15). Sustainable energy for all: Can Nepal achieve it? The Himalayan
Times.
Ghimire, Lal Shanker (2016, January). Nepal's Widening Trade Deficit (Discussion Paper No: 3).
Retrieved from National Planning Commission
Website: http://www.npc.gov.np/images/download/Nepals_Trade_Deficit.pdf
NEEP (2016). (n.d.). Energy Efficiency. Retrieved November 14, 2016, from
http://energyefficiency.gov.np/article-energy_situation_nepal
Pokharel, Prof. Dr. Govind Raj (2012, January). Nepal is a country Endowed with High Potential for
Alternative Energy Resources. Spotlight News Magazine, 06 No. 14 Jan 11 2012
Acharya, Pushpa Raj (2016, November 16). Feasibility study on power grid synchronization at 220kV to
be finalized soon. The Himalayan Times, pp. 13.
Mini/Micro Hydro Technology (2016, November 15). Retrieved from http://www.aepc.gov.np/?
option=renewable&page=subrenewable&mid=2&sub_id=14&id=4
Micro Hydro (2016, November 15). Retrieved from http://www.aepc.gov.np/?
option=renewable&page=subsubrenewable&mid=2&sub_id=14&ssid=8&cat=Micro%20Hydro
20
Micro Hydro Power Pros And Cons (2016, October 26). Retrieved from http://www.alternative-energynews.info/micro-hydro-power-pros-and-cons/
Shrestha, Dr. Jagan Nath (2014, November 10). Application of Clean Energy in Nepal: Prospects and
Problems. Kathmandu, Nepal: SAR/StANCE.
AEPC - URBAN SOLAR PROGRAMME (2016, November 16). Retrieved from
http://www.aepc.gov.np/urbansolar/

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Viable options to solve Nepals energy woes in a short period of time

Running head: Clean Sustainable Energy Solutions for Nepal