Tuesday 23rd April 2024
Nepal’s largest wind-solar hybrid power system, supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), has begun its operations in Hariharpurgadi village of Sindhuli district on December 12, 2017.
The new system, powered by 20-kW capacitive wind turbines and 15-kW capacitive solar PV panels, generates 110 units of energy per day, surpassing the village’s daily power demand of 87 kWh and is currently catering to 83 rural households.
“Access to clean, reliable and affordable energy will help the village to connect to the world through internet and mobile phones, and will create opportunities to boost local income. The electricity from the mini-grid will also open the door for commercial activities,” says Mukhtor Khamudkhanov, Director, ADB Nepal.
The project worth USD 16.2 million, partly financed by the Government of Nepal, was part of ADB’s South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation Power System Expansion Project and was also supported by the Scaling up Of Renewable Energy Program under the Climate Investment Fund and the local community.
Whereas, the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) installed and operated the project that aims at boosting power access to rural Nepal.
Prior to this, Nepali Government had launched its first mini grid wind-solar system in Dhaubadi in western Nepal, six years ago.
“The success of Dhaubadi and Hariharpurgadi projects has demonstrated that clean energy is indeed a viable option to provide reliable energy access to rural Nepal through wind-solar hybrid systems,” says Ram Prasad Dhital, Executive Director, AEPC.
“Implementation of innovative renewable energy solutions will help the country to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs),” opines Prakash Mathema, Secretary at the Ministry of Population and Environment, Nepal.
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