Various speakers have underlined the need to expand people’s access to clean energy in rural area. At an interaction organized by Renewable Energy Confederation of Nepal (RECON) and Center for Rural Technology (CRT) here on Monday, the speakers insisted on the need of collaboration among local government, private sector and local community for the development and expansion of renewable energy technology including solar power, micro-hydropower and bio-gas.

They highlighted the need for adopting such measure as it may not be possible to expand electricity in all areas of the country from the central transmission. On the occasion, former minister Ganesh Shah said every individual and community can be a producer of renewable energy so there is no situation to approach the center for addressing such issue. However, he asked the state bodies to enable environment for the individual and community to explore this potential. Menuka Kafle, vice-chairperson, National Association of Rural Municipalities in Nepal (NARMIN) said through the constitution and laws have provided adequate rights to the local government there is different story in practice.

In lack of coordination among federal, state and local governments the issue of program duplication is pressing at local level, she added. Gunaraj Dhakal, chair of the Confederation, said they have placed high emphasis on collaboration with local government for the advancement and expansion of renewable energy technology to bring changes in people’s lives. “Effective coordination and collaboration among all three tiers of governments – federal, state and local – is imperative for the promotion of clean energy thereby expanding entrepreneurship opportunities at local level and transforming people’s lives”, he noted, pledging readiness of private sector to play facilitating role for this.

Also speaking on the occasion, Ganesh Ram Shrestha, executive director, CRT, Krishna Prasad Devkota, chairperson, Nepal Micro Hydropower Development Organization and Krishna Chandra Poudel, senior official of Alternative Energy Promotion Center highlighted the need of further empowering local governments in the expansion of renewable energy.