The Potential for Rooftop Photovoltaic Systems in Nepal

Ural Kafle, Timothy Anderson () and Sunil Prasad Lohani ()
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Ural Kafle: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Laboratory, School of Engineering, Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel 45200, Nepal
Timothy Anderson: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
Sunil Prasad Lohani: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Laboratory, School of Engineering, Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel 45200, Nepal

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 2, 1-13

Abstract: Nepal possesses a good solar resource, and there has been increasing interest in the use of photovoltaic systems. About 1.1 million solar home systems, rated at nearly 30 MWp, have been installed across Nepal. With the introduction of net metering by the Nepal Electricity Authority, an increase in rooftop photovoltaics (RPV) is expected. However, to inform any policy developments around increased electricity generation, and the uptake of RPV, there is a need to quantify the potential of such systems (a situation mirrored in many developing countries). To this end, this study utilized a hierarchical geospatial technique based on open-source data to estimate the potential output from RPV in several cities in Nepal (Kathmandu, Pokhara, Butwal, Nepalgunj, and Biratnagar). It was found that the potential theoretical output of RPV ranged from 637 GWh per annum, in Kathmandu, to 50 GWh per annum in Butwal. Moreover, the total RPV potential from urban households of Nepal was estimated to be in the order 6.5 TWh per annum. As such, the findings of this paper can be used to make informed policy decisions about the future of Nepal’s energy mix.

Keywords: Nepal; electricity; energy policy; rooftop; photovoltaics; open-source data (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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