The promotion and development of renewable energy technologies: current status and pattern of use in Nepal

Abstract

This paper presents the current status and pattern of use of Renewable Energy Technologies (RETs) in Nepal. The importance of the renewable energy development paradigm is considered in the overall context of national development by supplying the energy requirements of rural areas by the use of available biomass resources whilst also protecting the environment. The RETs popular in the rural energy sector are: biomass energy technologies (biogas, improved cookstoves), solar technologies (solar cookers, solar photovoltaic, solar water heaters and solar dryers) and micro-hydro (MH). Besides these, there are other technologies, which have proven their potential in Nepal, but have not received sufficient attention yet for development. Subsidy policy, biomass development policy and foreign investment policy are enforced for the development of RETs in an overall context of rural development and poverty alleviation. This paper also outlines some barriers found to be in the way of the promotion and development of RETs.