Presentation slides and Panel Discussion outcomes
Session on “Challenges for Nepal’s energy security and opportunities of sustainable energy development” at the Symposium on “Responding to Development Priorities of Nepal”, Hotel Himalaya, Kathmandu.
Energy security of Nepal has multiple dimensions. Energy availability, adequacy, reliability (uninterrupted availability and quality) and affordability are key tenants of energy security. National electrification rate of Nepal was 76% in 2013 with over 7 million people yet without connection to electricity let alone adequacy and reliability issues. Nepal’s 80% of population relies on biomass-based solid fuel for cooking (IEA Energy Access Database, 2016) that has health and other sustainability implications. The energy security has also wider national implication as country has only domestic production of 865 MW in 2015-end (WECS, 2017) with estimated peak capacity demand of 1,721 MW and fully dependent on import of the foreign petroleum products (184 million litres of Gasoline, 950 million litres of diesel, 12 million litres of Kerosene and 166 thousand tons of LPG in 2014/15) which has recently seen severe supply-interruptions that has exposed the extent of severe vulnerability of Nepal. Sustainable energy development, which has large potential in Nepal from hydro and other renewables, has multiple benefits- they not only address the energy access but also open up opportunities for electricity based transport options that reduce dependency on imported petroleum products, and promote energy trade. This further can create job, reduce pollution, generate revenue through energy trade and provide vital energy inputs necessary for sustained economic growth.