The international donor agencies have been urged to extend support for achieving the government’s motto of ‘Happy Nepali, Prosperous Nepal’ through sustainable development of energy.

High-level officials of the government made this call during the fourth International Conference on Renewable Energy Technology for Rural and Urban Development, which commenced in the Capital from today. Government officials speaking on the occasion said that the government has accorded priority to energy development for achieving the sustainable development goals.

Nepal has been producing 30 megawatts of power from small and micro hydel projects and has installed 850,000 solar
systems for domestic lighting, constructed more than 400,000 biogas plants, set up 1.4 million improved ovens, and constructed 10,000 improved water mills, with the financial and technical cooperation of national and
international development partners and donor agencies.

Eighteen per cent of the electricity supply in the country is met by small and micro hydroelectricity projects and solar energy. As many as 3.4 million households have benefited from renewable energy technology.

As many as 20 countries are participating in the event jointly organised by the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre under the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation and the Institute of Engineering, Tribhuvan University.

Energy and sustainable development, energy security, climate change and carbon trading, green economic growth, renewable energy technologies, gender mainstreaming and energy, energy efficiency and conservation, energy for economic empowerment of women, power trade and sustainable energy access are the thematic areas of discussions during the conference which will see presentations of workings papers on these topics.

The conference is expected to be helpful in seeking new areas for cooperation, providing a platform for the exchange of international knowledge, experiences and information related to the field of renewable energy.

Kathmandu earlier hosted the conference in 1998, 2003 and 2011. The three-day event, will see the presentation of 80 papers with the participation of around 250 energy experts.

Inaugurating the conference, Minister for Education, Science and Technology Giriraj Mani Pokhrel, said that the government has announced 2018-2028 as the ‘energy decade’. He added that under this declaration, every house will be developed as an energy-efficient house and the importance of renewable energy will be incorporated in the school curriculum. “I urge the international donor agencies to extend support to this sector,” the minister said.

Finance Minister Yubaraj Khatiwada, said the government has prioritised energy development for achieving the sustainable development goals.

Ambassadors of Germany and Bangladesh to Nepal, Roland Schafer and Mashfee Binte Shams, respectively, Ambassador of the European Union Veronica Cody and the World Bank Country Manager for Nepal, Faris Hadad-Zervos pledged continued cooperation to help Nepal in the energy sector in the coming days.