Nepal gets most of its electricity from hydropower sources, but it is looking to expand the role of solar power in its energy mix. The average global solar radiation in Nepal varies from 3.6 to 6.2 kWh/m2/day. The sun shines for about 300 days a year. The number of sunshine hours amounts to almost 2100 hours per year, with an average of 6.8 hours of sunshine each day, and average insolation intensity of about 4.7 kWhm²/day.
Power cuts with an average of 10 hours per day in the past were common in Nepal, and the Nepal Electricity Authority used to publish a time table for power cuts. Solar energy can be seen as a more reliable source of energy in Nepal than the traditional electricity. Private installations of solar panels are more frequent in Nepal.
The people living in places such as Madi, Chitwan, where the Electricity Authority does not provide electricity because of Chitwan National Park, have been relying on solar power for several years.
In 2015, the World Bank agreed to invest 130 million dollars into the development of a 25MW solar power plant. They plan to connect it to the national power grid in the future. Construction of the plant began in April 2018 in the Nuwakot district. The project will serve the Kathmandu Valley upon completion.
In 2019, Nepal's Department of Electricity Development approved survey licenses for 21 locations to prepare for the possible installation of 56 solar plants, which could have a combined solar capacity of 317.14 MW. The largest planned solar energy project is a 120 MW solar PV station in Dhalkebar in Dhanusha district.
Solar power stations
S.N. Power station Location Capacity (MW) Commissioned Owner Refs.1 Nuwakot Solar Power Station Bidur, Nuwakot 25.000 2020 Nepal Electricity Authority 2 Mithila Solar PV Station Begadawar (Dhanusha)10.000 2021 Eco Power Development Pvt. Ltd 3 Mithila 2 Solar PV Station Dhanusha District 10.000 2022 Eco Global Power Development Pvt. Ltd 4Solar PV Project Banke, block-2Raniyapur (Banke)10.0002080-01-18Pure Energy Ltd5Solar PV Project, Raniyapur, Block 1Raniyapur (Banke)10.0002080-09-25Pure Energy Ltd 6 Shivasatachhi Jhapa Solar Project Panchganchi (Jhapa) 10.000 2080-10-10 Jhapa Energy Limited 7Butwal Solar PV Project Rupandehi 8.500 2020 Ridi Power Company Ltd. 8Utility Scale Solar PV, Grid Connected Solar Project, MorangBanigama (Morang)6.8002079-12-30G I Solar Pvt. Ltd,9 Bel Chautara Solar Farm Project Khairenitar (Tanahu) 5.000 2078-07-01Solar Farm Pvt. Ltd.10 Solar PV Pratappur, Grid Connected Solar PV (VGF), Nawalpara Pratappur (Nawalparasi) 5.000 2079-05-27 National Solar Power Company PVt. Ltd.11 Som Radha Krishna Solar Farm Project (VGF) Rupakot (Kaski) 4.400 2079-07-14 Nepal Solar Farm Ltd.12 Chandranigahpur Solar Project Rautahat District 4.000 2078-05-06(2021) Api Power Company Pvt. Ltd 13 Grid-Connected Solar Power Project, Dhalkebar, 33 kV S/SDhalkebar (Dhanusha) 3.0002078-11-21Sagarmatha Energy & Construction Pvt. Ltd.14Grid Connected Solar PV Project, Ramgram, Nawalparasi2.0002080-01-02Saurya Bidhyut Power Pvt. Ltd15Bishnu Priya Solar Farm ProjectRamnagar (Nawalparasi)1.0002075-08-13Surya Power Company P. Ltd.16 Solar Power Project, Dhalkebar 11 kV S/SDhalkebar (Dhanusha)1.0002078-10-02Api Power Company Ltd.17 Solar Power Project, Simara, 11 kV S/S1.0002079-04-08Api Power Company Ltd.18Solar Energy Bungamati (Lalitpur)0.6802067-12-10Katthmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Byawasthapan BoardTotal117.38
Upcoming solar power projects
+Solar power stationCapacity (MW)LocationCommissioning year (planned)Dhalkebar Solar PV Project120Mahottari District2025Barju Solar Project50Sunsari District2025Parwanipur Solar Farm30Bara District 2025Total200
See also
References
External links