With photovoltaics, Nepalis dont have to curse the darkness anymore

For 80 percent of Nepalis who have no access to electricity, the fact that Nepal has the highest per capita potential to generate hydropower has a hollow ring. And for the 20 percent who do, electricity is so expensive that they can't afford to use it much.

Enter: photovoltaic (PV) technology. This system of converting sunlight into electricity and storing it in batteries, could revolutionise Nepal's electricity use. All it needs is a solar cell set up on a sunny terrace or rooftop. PV cells used to be expensive, but prices have plummeted dramatically and it is now within reach of many Nepalis.

But how much does it cost? For starters, around Rs 1 million invested in PV modules, batteries, inverters for building integrated PV electrification systems and a monitoring system. For Alternative Current to get connected to the national grid all that is needed is stac equipment that costs even less.

"What we did in our building can be replicated anywhere else," says the centre's director, Jagannath Shrestha (pictured, right). "We are creating awareness to encourage people to adopt this technology." PVs are something of a passion for Shrestha who thinks it will provide cheap solar power power for the masses.

But, for that there has to be some changes in the system and the law. For instance, Nepal Electricity Authority's distribution system has a one-way flow of power from the national grid to consumers. For a reverse flow there has to be changes made in the law too. "This could take some time," says Shrestha. "But, if the government understands its value, the necessary changes should not be a big deal."

Professor Shrestha at CES says that installing a solar panel to produce the AC and connecting it to the national grid through stac will cost $5 per watt of power. The electricity produced through several run-of-river and storage plants in the country costs $4 per watt, on average. "Don't forget the politics and other hassles when it comes to constructing hydropower plants," reminds Shrestha.

In Germany more than 10,000 consumers already have solar panels under the Rooftop Program where roof tiles double as solar power collectors. Japan is promoting a Sunshine Program for solar electricity. By 2050, half of world's energy is expected to come from solar power.