On the occasion of International Clean Energy Day 2082, the Alternative Energy Promotion Center (AEPC) has organized a national conference on the theme ‘Developing Nepal’s Green Economy through the Implementation of Clean Energy’.
The conference was inaugurated by Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Anil Kumar Sinha in Kathmandu on Tuesday, January 27. During the meeting the participants had an in-depth discussion on strategies to accelerate Nepal’s low-carbon journey through renewable energy, energy efficiency, carbon markets, and investment mechanisms.
Inaugurating the conference, Energy Minister Sinha said that continuous collaboration between all stakeholders, including the government was needed to ensure access to sustainable and modern energy.
Sinha also said that a strong legal and regulatory framework will be created in this sector once the bill on renewable energy and energy efficiency, which is currently being drafted, is approved.
He also said that through the institutional restructuring of AEPC, further foundations would be laid for the integrated operation of renewable energy and energy efficiency programs.
Similarly, National Planning Commission Vice Chairman Dr. Prakash Kumar Shrestha said that the role of renewable energy and energy efficiency is crucial in mitigating the global negative impacts of climate change. He said that renewable energy and energy efficiency have been given high priority in long-term policies, strategies, and periodic plans, and underscored that it is essential to enhance competitiveness in energy production to ensure the availability of affordable and reliable energy across all sectors.
Meanwhile, Commission member Prof. Dr. Suniti Shrestha Hada said that the role played by AEPC in mitigating the impacts of climate change through renewable energy and energy efficiency is commendable.
Noting that the center’s programs have made a significant contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, she clarified that the government has consistently prioritized this sector to fulfill international commitments and national goals.
Chairing the inaugural ceremony, Chiranjivi Chatout, Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, said that the conference has provided a common platform for stakeholders to exchange experiences on the current status, achievements, opportunities, and challenges of clean energy. He also highlighted the need to reduce the use of fossil fuels and increase investment in clean, affordable, sustainable, and reliable energy.
Presenting the achievements, Nawaraj Dhakal, the center’s executive director, provided information about the Sustainable Energy Challenge Fund, achievements to date, the center’s contribution to low-carbonization, and the upcoming roadmap.
He also said that AEPC has been contributing to decarbonization through renewable energy and energy efficiency in the household, industrial, commercial, transportation, and agricultural sectors.
Similarly, European Union Ambassador Veronique Lorenzo emphasized the need to increase investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
She said that the Sustainable Energy Challenge Fund program, run with the support of the European Union and the UK government, has achieved remarkable achievements and that such support will continue in the future.
The conference also held discussions through three technical sessions on clean energy and the carbon market, energy efficiency, and investment in e-mobility. It concluded that by identifying opportunities and challenges for decarbonization, significant benefits can be achieved through blended financing, while also strengthening collaboration among development partners. AEPC has so far delivered clean renewable energy services to around 3.7 million households. Through the expansion of technologies ranging from micro and small hydropower, solar systems, and biogas to improved cookstoves and electric stoves, the share of renewable energy in the country’s total electricity access has reached about 6 percent. According to AEPC, more than 500 companies are active in the renewable energy sector, generating over 40,000 jobs.
