Solar
energy was actually introduced in Nepal during the 7th five-year plan in 1989
when, with the help of the French government, three community solar energy
systems were established in Bahrebishe of East Nepal, Simikot and Gumgadhi of
Midwest Nepal.
However,
with the initiative of the government and donor agencies in 1993, the
installation of solar energy systems in rural households has gained popularity
all over Nepal. To further boost the process, the government in 1996 established
an Alternate Energy Promotion Center (AEPC).
Later
on as an umbrella program, the Energy Sector Assistance Program (ESAP) was
established in 1999 to promote the use of alternate sources of energy such as
biogas, hydropower, wind and solar energy. With the establishment of ESAP, a
comprehensive subsidy policy was also drawn by the government in 2000. In 2001,
the Interim Rural Electricity Fund (IREF) was established to promote the use of
alternate energy in Nepal.
According
to ESAP, between 1993 and 2001 before ESAP was established, around 6000 units of
Solar House Systems were installed. However, between 2001 to 2003, around 20,360
units have been installed in 67 districts and 1100 village development
committees (VDCs) that represent several sparsely populated and thinly scattered
villages.
The
figures above represent only subsidized units. There are more than 30 community
solar energy pumping stations used for irrigation. There are also trekking
agencies, rest houses and teahouses on the trekking routes buying battery
chargers, portable lights, installing lights as well as refrigeration systems
for health professionals.
The
government has planned to reduce the subsidy each year by 10 percent, but this
new approach has so far been applied only to villages that are relatively
accessible. The villages in far away remote areas continue to receive full
subsidies.
According
to ESAP sources, funds allocated to last till 2004 have already been spent, as
they did not want to discourage any enthusiast who wanted to have a solar energy
system at home. The result has been that even funding agencies like DANIDA are
planning to go to other donor agencies to get them into a funding consortium in
order to generate more funds and keep them in a basket fund to support new
installations in remote areas, as the government has viewed energy as a
preliminary step to fighting poverty.
ESAP
has adopted the strategy of strengthening the villagers and helping them with
income generation opportunities to fight the scourge of poverty. Besides
protecting the villagers in terms of the quality of components and services,
ESAP has also adopted a strategy to strengthen the private sector. The
components produced by their collaborating 16 manufacturing companies are
further tested in the Solar Energy Testing Station.
ESAP
has given a freehand to manufacturers and customers to talk and negotiate about
prices. The quality, however, must be approved by senior engineers and
technicians from ESAP.
People
wanting to install the system need not come to ESAP for subsidy. It is taken
care of by the partner component manufacturers. They compile the application for
10 families and then get it approved for subsidy. All the villagers need to do
is to pay the difference to the company.
One
of the main criteria for the private sector companies is that there should be a
minimum of 10 solar energy systems within a distance of three walking hours in
remote areas so that it becomes feasible for them to travel for maintenance.
Apart
from the individual systems installed in private homes, community solar power
systems are going to be revived in Nepal within the next five years, as the
European Commission (EC) has agreed to provide all the necessary funds to
install solar energy systems in over 250 more village development communities
within the next five years.
According
to Rai at ESAP, the community projects are not showing encouraging trends in
Nepal. They may not be successful because people are careful about their own
possessions and want to invest in something that belongs to them.
In
the case of a community system, people may be interested in receiving the
service but will most probably be annoyed when it comes to paying for
maintenance. However, good examples of community participation have emerged in
the areas of community forestry and conservation and local development
introduced by the Annapurna Conservation Progamme and could be easily replicated
for something as urgent as community electrification.
Prakash Khanal is a
Nepali science and environmental journalist and former editor of RONAST Science
Features as well as General Secretary of the Science Writers Association of Nepal. Your
emails will be forwarded to him by contacting the editor
at:ScienceTech@islam-online.net.
