Minister of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Barshaman Pun, said the role of alternative energy was crucial to expanding access to modern energy in remote areas.

Addressing the 23rd anniversary of Alternative Energy Promotion Centre in Lalitpur today, Minister Pun said the contribution of energy sector was significant for achieving the national goal of ‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali’.

He stressed the need to take forward the campaign ‘Energy for All’ in a result-oriented way, adding that the government had given priority to renewable energy.

The energy minister said that it was necessary to attract private sector investment in the renewable energy sector, adding that AEPC should develop itself as ‘Best Knowledge Centre’.

Saying energy good governance was the main challenge of the present, member of National Planning Commission Krishna Prasad Oli, said it was necessary to spread public awareness to save energy. He further said that alternative energy had become a reliable alternative in rural areas to fulfil the goal of Sustainable Development Goals’ — access to energy to all by 2030.

Similarly, Executive Director of AEPC, Madhusudhan Adhikari, said that AEPC has been working to provide renewable energy technology to people in rural areas of the country.

The centre has been focusing on development and capacity increment of renewable energy and is at work to uplift the living standards of people through modern renewable energy technology, said the centre’s director Nawaraj Dhakal. He also referred to the centre’s contribution to economic, social and proportional development of the country.

On the occasion, 350 units of solar panels were distributed to residents of Mudkechula Rural Municipality in Dolpa district. Likewise, ‘Suprabidhi memorial renewable energy award’ was presented to Darna Micro Hydel Cooperatives in micro-hydro, Sun Farmer Nepal in solar energy and Nepal Energy Development Company in bio-gas for their contribution to the development of renewable energy technology. The award carried a purse of Rs 25,000 each.

So far, the centre has donated 1.5 million improved ovens and 500,000 biogas plants across the country.