The Nepal Weekly 
April 29, 2023
Photovoltaic (PV) technology is a clean and environmentally friendly technology that does not require any fuels. The high reliability of operation and little need for maintenance makes it ideally suited for rural areas. PV systems are used in Nepal to power telecommunications centres, navigational aids, in pumping systems for irrigation and drinking water, and for household electrification.
Nepal is located in an advantageous location and high altitude topography, with slopes facing south, receives ample solar radiation and is advantageous to harness solar energy. The average solar radiation varies from 3.6–6.2 kWh/m2/day, and the sun shines for about 300 days a year. The development of solar energy technology thus seems promising in many parts of the country. As per the published report of AEPC, 2008 under Solar & Wind Energy Resource Assessment in Nepal (SWERA), the commercial potential of solar power for grid connection is 2,100 MW.
The country has enormous and low-cost solar energy resources. The solar potential in Nepal is 50,000 terawatt-hours per year, which is 100 times larger than Nepal’s hydro resource and 7,000 times larger than Nepal’s current electricity consumption, reports and literatures say.
Solar energy is cheaper than fossil fuels, nuclear and hydro. According to the 2020 World Energy Outlook from the International Energy Agency, “For projects with low cost financing that tap high quality resources, solar PV is now the cheapest source of electricity in history”.
Energy from coal, oil and gas is the primary cause of climate change. However, a radical transformation of the global energy system is underway. Solar photovoltaics and wind now comprise two-thirds of global net new electricity generation capacity additions because they are cheap. Deep renewable electrification of energy services, including transport, heating and industry, allows solar and wind to eliminate fossil fuels over the next few decades, experts claim.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, rapid reductions in greenhouse emissions are required. Because solar energy is so cheap, developing countries such as Nepal can bypass a fossil fuel era and transition directly to zero emission solar.
Solar Home System, Institutional Solar PV System and Solar PV Pumping System are well adopted methods for utilising Solar electricity for residences, institutions and agriculture and also for safe drinking water supplies. Similarly, Solar Mini Grids are also promoted in Nepal to provide electricity to rural residents, institutions and small industries.
Solar PV Systems which generate at Mega Watt amount by a single Solar farm are increasing bow in Nepal. These are cheaper than hydropower system and can be installed in very short time. The electricity generated is sold to national grid that means normally, no energy storage is practised. So far, nearly 60 Mega Watt of electricity generated by Solar PV farms have been connected to the national grid.
Rooftop Solar PV has been taken as a viable solution to complement the hydropower dominated national grid. The Rooftop Solar PV can be utilised in the day time load in the industrial and transport sector mainly. Thus system has yet to see its good days as the Government and Nepal Electricity Authority have to be not only positive in paper but also in practice.
Agrivoltaic is a dual-use Solar PV System for electricity generation and utilise the land where panels stand to utilise for normal farming. That means a piece of land dedicated to Solar PV farming is used for normal agriculture too. Experience of such farms in India and other countries say that 80 per cent of electricity generated in the land occupied for only Solar PV farm. So as a normal farm land if produced 100 crop yields, Agrivoltaic can give 80 at the same land.
Thus, Agrivoltaic should be considered as a good technology for Nepal to generate electricity and agricultural yield both. However, thorough study and research can give deep and wide knowledge to adopt for the best of results in Nepal’s context.
One other yet to adopt is Solar PV for Residential Cooking. National grid has been said to be accessed to 94 per cent of households in Nepal so far. Concerned authorities say that within 3 years rest of the households will be connected by national grid or those which cannot, will be provided electricity through mini-grids. That means some 20,000 households may come to this bracket.
Cooking in electricity has been a high priority as it does not produce smoke, it saves trees and also saves cost of LPG. There are more other advantages also. However, cooking in electricity is possible when electricity is available at quality and consistency. In this situation for those who stay off-grid need an appropriate solution. Solar Home System like but higher capacity may be recommended to install at individual households. That system can be expensive in comparison to a regular Solar Home System due to size. But, electricity needed for cooking and other domestic purposes can be done by electricity generated by such up scaled system.
Thus, electricity generated by Solar PV systems need to be well utilised keeping in view the concept of Energy Mix, Energy Security, Energy Efficiency, and policies set by the state in line with Sustainable Development Goals, Nationally Determined Contributions, Energy White Paper and Periodic Plans and more such commitments expressed on global climate forums.
