The Nepal Weekly 
September 27, 2022Hydrogen occurs abundantly in nature and is a clean-burning molecule that helps to de-carbonise a range of sectors previously proven hard to clean. Green hydrogen powers steel, cement and transport industries which then emit water instead of CO2 without using fossil fuels. Green hydrogen can also produce green fertiliser which can ensure food safety and security and energy security through energy storage.
These capabilities make for a compelling argument that green hydrogen produced through electrolysis of water using electricity from renewable energy sources can power the production of green ammonia and green fertiliser to provide an antidote for net zero target.
The evolution of the hydrogen economy will depend on how the various segments of the value chain – upstream, midstream, and downstream – are integrated to deliver hydrogen at a minimum price.
The most commercially viable case for green hydrogen is green ammonia (NH3) for fertilisers. Integrating existing hydropower plants with green hydrogen facilities could help bring production costs down while increasing the revenue of existing hydropower companies.
Nepal Green Hydrogen Summit (NGHS) is the first event of its kind in Nepal which is being organised jointly by MIT Group Foundation and Global NRN Foundation, in partnership with Government of Nepal Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Ministry of Finance, Global Green Growth Institute, Windpower Nepal, Kathmandu University and Melbourne Institute of Technology.
The event is set to take place during October 10 to 11 in Kathmandu.
NGHS is aimed at way out for studies on green hydrogen potential of production, storage and distribution, analyze potential of producing green ammonia, share knowledge on cost of technology and equipment global market, allure high volume of private investment in production of green hydrogen and urea, support achieving SDGs with priority of hydrogen production, roadmap for easier transportation of energy and support policy formation.
Moreover, it is crucially important to note that The Himalayas are highly vulnerable to global climate change which is impacting the region at a rapid rate. Climate change in the Himalayas directly affects the entirety of Nepal and its river systems, making Nepal one of the most climate change-affected countries in the world.
Melting glaciers and snow feed the country’s major rivers: Koshi, Gandaki, and Karnali, along with most of the river systems in Nepal. Together, these river systems supply fresh water to a large portion of the 500 million people who live in the Ganges River basin.
It is also to recall that Nepal’s Nationally Determined Commitment identified the country’s energy, agriculture, water resources, forestry, biodiversity and health sectors as most at risk from climate change.
Recent studies by the Asian Development Bank suggested Nepal faces losing 2.2% of its annual GDP due to climate change by 2050.
Nepal has set an ambitious economic growth target of 8 percent for FY 2022-23 while the growth rate for current fiscal is estimated to be around 5.84 per cent.
Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Pampha Bhusal, Minister for Finance Janardan Sharma, Australian Ambassador to Nepal Felicity Volk, Ambassador of European Union in Nepal Nona Deprez, Vice-Chancellor of Kathmandu University Prof. Dr. Bhola Thapa, Managing Director of Nepal Electricity Authority Kulman Ghising, Founder of MIT Group Foundation Dr. Shesh Ghale, Senior Hydrogen Advisor at GIZ Rolf Behrndt, Director and Head of Green Investment Services (GIS), Global Green Growth Institute, Dr. Lasse Ringius, Director of PwC India Oil & Gas Industry Consulting Raman Jee Jha, Programme Lead of Nepal Hydrogen Initiative, Kathmandu University Dr. Biraj Singh Thapa, Co-Founder and CEO, SunGreenH2 Tulika Raj, Business Head at ICRA Nepal Barsha Shrestha, Operations Officer at International Finance Corporation Devesh Singh, Sr. Investment Manager, BO2, Nel Hydrogen, Marcoen Stoop, Business Development Director IRCA Nepal Ritu Pradhan, Lead Energy Specialist, The World Bank Dr. Fanny Missfeldt-Ringius, and CEO of Windpower Nepal Pvt. Ltd. Dr. Kushal Gurung, will be sharing valuable and resourceful thoughts in the NGHS.
