Measures
Achieving last-mile connectivity with localized renewable resources
Nepal is on-track to achieve universal access to electricity by 2030. Achieving last-mile connectivity is a major challenge in Nepal due to the remoteness of communities and villages, complex terrains, low population densities, and levels of willingness and ability of low-income households to pay. More than 90 per cent of the unelectrified households in Nepal are rural households and most are in remote areas among the complex terrains. With this regard, NEXSTEP suggests the use of mini-grid hydropower systems for settlements far from the central grid, where grid extension is technically and economically infeasible.
The choice of technology will be based on various aspects, including cost-effectiveness and resource availability. In addition, seasonal variation of rainfall may possibly have an effect at times on the availability of hydro-based power generation. Careful investigation should be conducted to assess the non-availability issue in proposing the most suitable technology. For example, hybrid combination of hydro plus solar mini-grid or solar power plus wind mini-grid or a combination of all three may be a possible choice in addressing the non-availability issue during the dry season, including being the most efficient and least cost option.
Nepal is on-track to achieve universal access to electricity by 2030. Achieving last-mile connectivity is a major challenge in Nepal due to the remoteness of communities and villages, complex terrains, low population densities, and levels of willingness and ability of low-income households to pay. More than 90 per cent of the unelectrified households in Nepal are rural households and most are in remote areas among the complex terrains. With this regard, NEXSTEP suggests the use of mini-grid hydropower systems for settlements far from the central grid, where grid extension is technically and economically infeasible.
The choice of technology will be based on various aspects, including cost-effectiveness and resource availability. In addition, seasonal variation of rainfall may possibly have an effect at times on the availability of hydro-based power generation. Careful investigation should be conducted to assess the non-availability issue in proposing the most suitable technology. For example, hybrid combination of hydro plus solar mini-grid or solar power plus wind mini-grid or a combination of all three may be a possible choice in addressing the non-availability issue during the dry season, including being the most efficient and least cost option.
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Scenario