Solar power has long played a vital role in Nepal's energy mix. However, only since the blockade has the role and necessity of renewable power sources in Nepal been properly discussed. With communities in remote and unconnected areas it might not always be possible to give them access to traditional power sources. But if done correctly, solar power could bring huge benefits to people in rural areas.There have been many negative effects of the crisis in Tarai, and numerous knock-on effects. The reduction in economic activity was a body-blow to an economy already reeling from massive earthquakes. What the blockade did was make everyone in Nepal aware of the risks of having an unreliable and unstable supply of energy and resources.
While hydropower is often touted as Nepal's ticket to sustainable energy production, a mixture of politics, corruption and the sheer size of the projects have led to hydropower still being relatively untapped. Unlike huge hydro projects, solar can be done on a much smaller scale and makes perfect sense in the hills. Lack of a steady and reliable power supply, especially in rural areas, is a real issue.
The electrification rate in Nepal is around 55 percent, which falls to 43 percent in rural areas; such low rates are naturally going to have negative implications.
Lack of adequate power supply and cooking gas has left many cooking outside the house with firewood. Not only would solar power allow people to use induction cookers and other electrical equipment, but solar power, unlike oil and gas from India, thankfully, cannot be used as a political pawn.
While solar panels are becoming increasingly attractive for Nepal's middle class, the need is for a much more widespread adoption, especially in rural areas. According to a study by the Water and Energy Commission, 80 percent of Nepal's energy consumption is domestic, and 71 percent of all energy consumption is done by firewood. The widespread introduction of solar power would not only reduce domestic demand for state produced energy, it would also lead to a fall in the use of firewood as an energy source.
The benefits are numerous: an increase in use of renewables, increase in the rate of electrification and a reduction in the amount of environmentally damaging fuel use. For households to be self-sufficient in their energy needs would be a major development. Studies show that developing countries are at higher risks of climate change. Reducing reliance on fossil fuels can be an added incentive.
A report issued in December last year stated that solar panels would become mandatory on all government offices, as well as public and commercial outlets, and each building would be required to produce at least 25 percent of their power from solar. This is a good start, but it needs to go further and encourage retrofitting of existing buildings,
Even now as borders reopen and oil and gas restart entering Nepal, the problems of over-reliance on imported fuel remains. Good planning and foresight would ensure that Nepal can look after its own energy needs for generations to come.
The author is a journalist based in Kathmandu
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