KATHMANDU, July 31: Renewable energy experts have emphasized the need to ensure collaboration between local governments and renewable energy experts including professionals to help promote implementation of renewable energy technologies at local level.

Addressing a function organized jointly by Renewable Energy Confederation of Nepal (RECON) and Centre for Rural Technology Nepal (CRT-N) in Kathmandu to share knowledge with local government officials for promoting renewable energy technologies, they also argued that federal government, provincial governments and other stakeholders have to work closely to provide access to renewable technology to all citizens living across the country.

Speaking at the program, former minister Ganesh Sah said that efforts should be made to provide access of modern energy to people. “Both modern technologies and traditional practices should be implemented after making a detailed groundwork,” he said.

Sah argued that renewable energy technologies have potential to contribute to bring about development in agriculture sector as this can help to provide irrigation facilities through solar PV pumping system. While arguing that promotion of bio-fertilizer could also significantly reduce import and the use of chemical fertilizer, he argued that large bio-gas plants should be developed to produce larger amount of bio-fertilizer. 

Chairperson of RECON Guna Raj Dhakal said that RECON and its affiliated associations, experts and professionals were ready to provide necessary assistance to National Association of Rural Municipalities in Nepal (NARMIN) for formulating renewable energy policies and promoting renewable energy technologies for local governments.

Executive Director of Center for Rural Technology-Nepal (CRT-N) Ganesh Ram Shrestha pointed out the need to take best experience into consideration as renewable energy technologies have helped to uplift living quality of women, disables, marginalized and poor people.

Senior officer at Alternative Energy Promotion Center (AEPC) Krishna Chandra Poudel said that AEPC has been developing programs to work with provincial and local governments to provide technical and financial support in order to make electricity at off-grid locations available. The center is also carrying out various programs of micro/mini hydro, solar PV, solar thermal, bio-gas, improved cook stoves and wind energy in different scales and in improvised modalities.

While stating that rural municipalities are expecting technical know-how to promote renewable energy, NARMIN Vice President Menuka Kafle said that they were expecting wider cooperation from federal and provincial governments. She also argued that most local governments have adopted a policy to promote renewable energy.

 
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