Nepal to focus on electrifying transport and cooking sectors: Energy Minister Ghising

Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Kulman Ghising has said that the government is focusing on electrifying the transport and cooking sectors so as to reduce dependency on fossil fuel. Speaking as chief guest during the 29th anniversary of the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) in Kathmandu on Tuesday, Minister Ghising said that while some progress has been made, much still remains to be done in this regard. The use of electric vehicles is increasing while more efforts are needed to replace cooking gas with induction stoves and other forms of clean energy in households, he pointed out.

Minister Ghising said that the government will now focus on generation of wind energy, which has so far remained neglected and called on the private sector to take initiative towards its promotion adding that the government is ready to extend cooperation in this regard.

Executive Director of AEPC Nawa Raj Dhakal said that as a government entity, the Centre has been working in multiple areas, including solar energy, irrigation, drinking water, and improved cooking stoves. The centre has achieved milestones in the areas of energy efficiency and energy transition in the past three decades of its establishment, he pointed out. He said that the centre has so far provided clean energy access to around 3.7 million households adding more than 40,000 jobs have been created in the clean energy sector through the mobilization of 500 companies.