The Nepal Weekly 
April 2, 2024
The Renewable and Sustainable Energy Laboratory (RSEL) at Kathmandu University hosted a seminar on “Biogas, Biomass, and Waste Management” in collaboration with the Renewable Energy Confederation of Nepal (RECON) recently. The event organised on March 28, 2024. was part of the project “Instituting of research-based education systems for the development of renewable energy technology in the circular economy, a joint project among the universities in Norway, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka”, funded by the Norwegian Partnership Programme for Global Academic Cooperation (NORPART). Around 45 experts and professionals representing private sectors, government agencies, and academia participated in the seminar. They concerned to Nepal’s potential in renewable energy, particularly in the realms of biogas, biomass, and waste management sector of Nepal.
Assoc. Prof. Rajan Thapa from the University of South-Eastern Norway (USN) shared insights into the latest academic research on biomass gasification at USN and offered a commitment to collaborate if their research and expertise can help Nepal. Dr. Sunil Lohani, the lead at RSEL, shared knowledge and experiences of the academic research on biogas at RSEL and the current research landscape in Nepal’s biogas sector. Dr. Lohani urged the government and private sector collaborate with relevant research groups across universities in Nepal right from the inception stage of programme and policy development to address the sector’s scientific, technical, and policy challenges. Such inclusive involvement ensures that issues arising from practical field experiences, implementation, and operations are brought to the research communities as research problems. These joint initiatives would foster the growth of local researchers’ capacity and expertise, facilitating the country’s documentation and dissemination of knowledge and skills, he mentioned. Ultimately, this contributes to ensuring the sector’s sustainability, positioning it as a crucial ecosystem for national development and economic growth, he added.
Gunaraj Dhakal, chairperson of RECON, highlighted the pivotal role of the private sector in advancing renewable energy initiatives, while Sundar Bahadur Khadka from the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) discussed government strategic initiatives to drive renewable energy sectors forward.
Sundar Bahadur Khadka from the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) discussed government strategic initiatives to drive renewable energy sectors forward.
During workshop discussions, participants recognized the significant untapped potential of bioenergy in Nepal and emphasized the role of academia from project inception. Despite academia’s importance, it’s often overlooked in government-private sector collaborations.
To address this, active engagement with academia is crucial, alongside securing adequate funding for proper research execution. By involving academia and allocating resources, tailored solutions can be developed, maximizing impact and sustainability. Leveraging national resources and local expertise, clean energy solutions via biogas, biomass, and waste management can be effectively promoted.
During workshop discussions, participants recognized the significant untapped potential of bioenergy in Nepal and emphasized the importance of involving academia from project inception. Despite the importance of academia, its involvement is often overlooked in collaborative initiatives between the government and the private sector. To address this, active engagement with academia is crucial, alongside securing adequate funding for proper research execution. Embracing academia’s involvement and allocating sufficient resources ensures comprehensive capacity building, enhances implementation efficacy, and fosters innovation. This approach ensures solutions are tailored to the country’s unique context, maximizing their impact and sustainability. Solutions that effectively promote clean energy through biogas, biomass, and waste management can be developed by leveraging national resources and local expertise.
