Kathmandu: The government looks forward to generating hydrogen-based electricity generation plants in collaboration with the private sector at a time when the country is facing overburden expenses to import petroleum products.

In a discussion with officials of Green Hydrogen Lab (GHL), Kathmandu University, on Tuesday, Finance Minister Janardan Sharma expressed his interest in installing a 100 MW hydrogen gas plant in the country. “While the Ministry of Finance will do necessary homework, related study and technical support is expected from the private sector,” Sharma said.

Currently, many developed countries are switching to hydrogen plants as a green energy source. But, as of now, the concept is new in Nepal. Sharma said the government will hold talks with the Investment Board of Nepal to find interested investors in the segment.

Biraj Singh Thapa, chief of GHL, said they themselves have been holding talks with foreign organizations to install a 100 MW green hydrogen plant in the next one and a half years. According to him, nine kilos of pure water is needed to produce one kg of hydrogen fuel.

Thapa said Nepal has high potential to produce hydrogen based electricity as the country has plenty of fresh water resources. “Therefore, it will be far cheaper to produce the energy through this mechanism in Nepal compared to similar other countries,” he added.