Measures
Adoption of sustainable heating systems helps to save fuel and reduce GHG emissions
About 90 per cent of the energy usage in the commercial sector is used for space heating purposes. In 2019, the heating requirement for the commercial sector was mainly provided by conventional fuel-burning practices – through the combustion of biomass (50 per cent), LPG (25 per cent) and coal (23 per cent). In view of the high share of imported fuels for space heating, fuel-switching should be a priority to reduce fuel dependency. In addition, adoption of sustainable heating systems such as solar heating systems and heat pumps also contribute significantly towards GHG reduction.
Two main types of sustainable heating systems have been proposed and modelled in the EE scenario – solar thermal heating systems and electric heat pumps. Solar thermal heating systems, specifically active solar heating systems, collect solar energy and circulate the heat energy throughout the interior space using pumps. The renewable-based heating system has a zero-fuel cost and is GHG emission-free. In addition, solar thermal can be applied for water heating purposes. Electric heat pumps are also viable alternatives that have coefficients of performance (or energy efficiency ratio) of between 2 and 4.5. These utilize a refrigerant cycle to source heat from the outside atmosphere to heat the interior space, whereby electricity is used to circulate the heat throughout the interior space. With Nepal’s electricity being emission-free, electric heat pumps provide a zero-carbon heating solution and take advantage of the low local electricity tariff. More importantly, both systems free up the need for imported fuels (i.e., coal and LPG).
About 90 per cent of the energy usage in the commercial sector is used for space heating purposes. In 2019, the heating requirement for the commercial sector was mainly provided by conventional fuel-burning practices – through the combustion of biomass (50 per cent), LPG (25 per cent) and coal (23 per cent). In view of the high share of imported fuels for space heating, fuel-switching should be a priority to reduce fuel dependency. In addition, adoption of sustainable heating systems such as solar heating systems and heat pumps also contribute significantly towards GHG reduction.
Two main types of sustainable heating systems have been proposed and modelled in the EE scenario – solar thermal heating systems and electric heat pumps. Solar thermal heating systems, specifically active solar heating systems, collect solar energy and circulate the heat energy throughout the interior space using pumps. The renewable-based heating system has a zero-fuel cost and is GHG emission-free. In addition, solar thermal can be applied for water heating purposes. Electric heat pumps are also viable alternatives that have coefficients of performance (or energy efficiency ratio) of between 2 and 4.5. These utilize a refrigerant cycle to source heat from the outside atmosphere to heat the interior space, whereby electricity is used to circulate the heat throughout the interior space. With Nepal’s electricity being emission-free, electric heat pumps provide a zero-carbon heating solution and take advantage of the low local electricity tariff. More importantly, both systems free up the need for imported fuels (i.e., coal and LPG).
Group
Scenario