A brief review of Nepal's Energy Resources

Energy Resources of Nepal are divided into three categories, viz. Traditional, Commercial, and Alternative energy resources. Traditional sources include Fuel wood (charcoal from woody biomass), Tree, Non woody biomass, Agricultural products, Animal Dung: biomass based, bio-chars, and municipal and solid wastes. Commercial sources include coal, grid, and petroleum, whereas Alternative sources include biogas, solar, wind, and micro-hydro.

Biomass is in abundance in Nepal, especially in rural Nepal where it dominates as the principal energy resource. Wood fuel resources of Nepal make up a 10% crown cover of forests and shrub lands make up less than 10%. Community forest initiatives have been very effective in management of biomass supply chain. Community forests have got 40% population of Nepal involved in their programs with a supply of 7142.2 GT of forest products. (WECS, 2010)

According to FAO global forest resource assessment 2010, estimated biomass stock of above ground biomass in forest in million tons is 718. (FAO, 2010)

Sustainable fuel wood supply in 2008 / 2009 in cultivated land is 1165.9 GT, NCI 688.6 GT, grassland 51.5 GT, forest: 10037.6 GT, and shrub-land: 563.1 GT. (WECS, 2010)

In 2008/09 14.9 million tons of animal residues were produced, amounting to a total 40% of energy requirements of the country that could be potentially fulfilled by animal residues, as 80 % of total dung available can be used as fuel but only 15% is used for energy needs because dung is required for agriculture. ICS, briquettes, and gasifiers are other biomass based energy generation technologies. 331000 ICS have reportedly, been installed in Nepal. (WECS, 2010)

Biogas production, a CDM project has a potential of up to 1.9 million plant installations. 57% of such plants are currently in Terai, and more than 2 lakhs are alrready installed. The data only accounts cows and buffalos as a source of dung. 43 million GJ potential energy is equivalent to 11% of total energy demand of nation, with a high average availability factor of 81 %. (WECS, 2010)

Agricultural residues can be field residues or byproduct of agro processing. There is a total supply potential of 243 million GJ by agricultural residues equivalent to 61 % of annual energy consumption. (WECS, 2010)

Biomass wastes are other untapped resources.

Hydropower Resources: There is a theoretical potential of 83000 MW, technical potential of 45000 MW, and economically feasible potential of 42000 MW of electricity to be produced by using Nepal’s hydropower resources. (WECS, 2010)

According to, Department of electricity development, 43 projects total with capacity of 718.099 MW are currently in operaion, out of which private sector has promoted 35.09% of total hydroelectricity generation. Similarly, two thermal plants in Duhabi and Hetauda can produce 53.4 MW of electricity. (DOED, 2015)

Low grade lignitic coal can be mined in Nepal. 148200 tons coal were produced in Nepal in 2008/09.

Occurrence of coal in Nepal is in Quaternary lignite of Kathmandu valley, Eocene coal from mid-western Nepal, Siwalik coal, and Gondwana coal. Coal extracted in Dang s mostly used by brick industries. (WECS, 2010)

There are a total of 1152 micro-hydro projects as of projects, with installed capacity of 22831 kW serving 19000 households. There are also 40 mini hydro with installed capacity of 14.94 MW according to AEPC 2014. (Republica, 2014)

Wind remains widely unused energy resource of Nepal, despite having several research, development, and installation attempts. DANGRID, in 1990, calculated a feasibility of 200 MW between Kagbeni and Chusang of Mustang. A study done by AEPC and SWERA in 2003 calculated a potential of 3000 MW in Nepal. For demonstration, AEPC has installed a 400 W system in Nagarkot, and 5 numbers of 200w standalone systems in different parts over Nepal. (WECS, 2010)

Geothermal energy is a completely neglected resource. Nepal has 32 hot water springs where temperature of water reaches up to 500 C. (WECS, 2010). More research needs to be done.

Insolation in Nepal ranges from 3.6 – 6.2 kWh/m2/day, with 300 sunny days a year at average. SWERA calculated a commercial potential of 2100 MW from solar PV. Solar thermal energy use is common in solar water heating system in urban areas of Nepal amounting to more than a total of 185000 installations. (WECS, 2010)

References:
1. DOED (2015). Operating Projects – Hydro. Retrieved fromhttp://www.doed.gov.np/operating_projects_hydro.php on Mar 30, 2015.
2. FAO (2010). Global Forest Resource Assessment, Country Report: Nepal, Food and Agricultural Organization, Italy.
3. WECS (2010). Energy Sector Synopsis Report. Water and Energy Commission Secretariat, Kathmandu.
4. http://kshitiz.org