The Nepal Weekly 
October 14, 2025
World Hydrogen Day is celebrated annually on October 8th to highlight the importance of hydrogen as a clean energy source. While the specific events for 2025 will vary, it will likely be marked by conferences, expert panels, and other activities focused on advancing the hydrogen industry and its role in the energy transition. Some major events around this date will include World Hydrogen Week in Copenhagen (October 6-10) and the World Hydrogen Summit & Exhibition in Rotterdam.
Unlike fossil fuels, which are notorious for CO‚ emissions and other pollutants, hydrogen is clean-burning, with only water vapor as a byproduct. This characteristic alone puts hydrogen at the forefront of eco-friendly energy sources, but the environmental advantages of natural hydrogen go well beyond zero emissions.
Hydrogen is an energy carrier (like electricity), meaning it can store and deliver energy in an easily usable form. Hydrogen can be used as an energy storage system as it has the advantage of having the highest energy density i.e., 120 MJ/kg which is almost more than thrice the energy density of other fossil fuels. The stored hydrogen can be used to generate energy with little to no carbon emissions.
Hydrogen is produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity. Roughly one kilogram of hydrogen can be extracted from nine kilograms of water, requiring about 50 kilowatt hours of electricity. With abundant water resources and surplus electricity, Nepal is well positioned to produce hydrogen.
Hydrogen can be stored as a liquid, gas, solid, or metal hydride, making it suitable for domestic use or export. Studies suggest that hydrogen could replace at least two percent of Nepal’s diesel imports.
Developed countries like Germany, Japan, South Korea, India, China, USA are conducting research and development on energy technologies to replace fossil fuels. Hydrogen energy for them has been a success in operating transportation, industries and even household uses.
Operating high standard trains and ships utilizing have been a great success to them. Hydrogen powered trains have been operated in Germany and Japan successfully while India is planning to launch trains and buses soon in future. China also targets to utilize hydrogen energy for mass transportation systems.
In Nepal, R&D on hydrogen has been conducted by Kathmandu University. It has also brought in one unit of hydrogen powered car and refueling devices as well.
Nepal has been studying hydrogen fuel since 2008. After nearly 17 years of research, the government has begun work on producing green hydrogen fuel.
A hydrogen operated train in Japan
Kathmandu University established a Green Hydrogen Lab in 2020 to research the use of hydrogen in fertilizer factories, iron ore processing, and as a coal substitute in cement industries. Hydrogen has long been considered a potential renewable energy source, and its production could help Nepal meet its commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions.
Some institutions have studied Nepal’s hydrogen potential. Tribhuvan University and Western Michigan University jointly concluded that hydrogen could be produced using hydropower, reducing petroleum imports. The Asian Development Bank carried out a similar study in 2020, while the Water and Energy Commission Secretariat assessed possibilities in 2021. A study in 2022 further explored hydrogen-based fertilizer production.
Moreover, some foreign entrepreneurs collaborating local parties have shown serious interest in producing hydrogen fuel in Nepal utilizing electricity generated in Nepal. The Government of Nepal also has formulated policy for promotion and development of hydrogen fuel in Nepal.
Favourable situation for the producing hydrogen fuel in Nepal is visible as the abundance of renewable energy in the form of hydropower, solar and wind potential can be utilised for this purpose. According to reports, Nepal will have around 10,000 megawatts of hydropower by 2030, with a demand of approximately 7,000 megawatts. The total capacity is expected to be 39,000 megawatts by 2040. Likewise, electricity generation from Solar PV and other technologies will be added in an appreciable ratio. Thus, surplus electricity could be utilised to produce green hydrogen at a competitive price. It is also to note that the cost of producing green hydrogen will be below $1 per kg by 2050.
Moreover, commercial application of the green hydrogen potential covering various sectors like the chemical industry, transportation, energy-intensive industries (iron and steel), and residential sector. However, infrastructural and technological constraints need attention before introducing green hydrogen in the respective sectors.
Utilising green hydrogen in the chemical industry to produce ammonium-based fertilisers, including urea will be another big opportunity. That will fill the gap of shortage of chemical fertiliser in Nepal.
Using green hydrogen in the iron and steel industry is another potential medium-term application. The technology of hydrogen-based steel production is commercially available but it requires investment in specific infrastructure like replacing the orthodox method of blast furnace with a direct reduced iron process and use of molten oxide electrolysis to produce molten iron directly.
In the long term, as the technology and infrastructure mature, Nepal can also consider using green hydrogen in the transportation sector. However, it is expected to grow to $6 billion by 2030. Studies suggest that FCEV could be a dominant player (especially in heavy vehicles like trucks and ships) by 2035.
The household use of green hydrogen, especially for heating and cooking, is also a long-term prospect. The required technology is still in the initial stage, as only a handful of demonstration projects examining hydrogen as a potential fuel for domestic application are in operation globally. In this context, Nepal can use green hydrogen as a source of fuel for domestic applications based on global technological advancement.
Thus, research and studies carried out so far by Kathmandu University and other institutions may be taken as technical framework for promotion of hydrogen in Nepal. So as energy for producing hydrogen need to be cheaper as well which can attract investors to contribute in climate actions benefitting the country and others.
