Kathmandu / The United Nations declared January 26 as the “International Day of Clean Energy”, which is celebrated globally by organising various programs since 2024 with an objective to raise awareness and mobilize action for a just and inclusive transition to clean energy for the benefit of people and the planet.

Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) is the Government of Nepal's (GoN) institution under the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation (MoEWRI) with a mandate to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency in Nepal. Since its establishment, AEPC is working to increase access to clean energy, making energy service more reliable, resilient and sustainable, as well as integrate it with economic activities through renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency.

In addition, AEPC also has mandate to work as accredited Direct Access Entity (DAE) to Green Climate Fund (GCF) and develop Carbon Projects based on renewable energy.

AEPC is extending electrification based on the ‘Last Mile Electrification Plan’ prepared by the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Government of Nepal, for the geological region and households without access of electricity with the policy to give access of clean energy to all. AEPC is also promoting electric cook stove, biogas and improved cook stove as clean cooking solution.

Energy Development Roadmap and Action Plan, 2025 (Urja Bikash Margachitra and Karyayojana, 2081), which is recently approved by the GoN, aims to provide electricity access to 100 per cent households within the 2 years in areas without national grid through off grid solar, wind and micro hydro. AEPC has contributed to achieve the targets of the GoN and SDGs related to renewable energy, energy efficiency and climate change, which is associated with an increase in access of electricity.

In this milieu, AEPC is celebrating the ‘International Day of Clean Energy’ by organizing various programs in association with partner organizations. AEPC is conducting the following programs on Magh 13, 14 and 15, 2081 (January 26, 27 and 28, 2025).

The Summit provides an opportunity to bring National/International, Government/Non-government, Province and local level, Research/Academic Institutions, Development partners, Investors, Practitioners of Energy sector, private sector, media, Civil Society and Energy Experts under one umbrella.

More than 350 National and International participants representing renewable energy, energy efficiency and climate change sector are expected to attend the Summit. More than 10 organisations will be collaborating with AEPC for this Summit. Main objectives of the Summit are as follows:

• Prioritization of investable projects and opportunities for investment and resource mobilization for clean energy transformation.
• Sharing of experiences related to successful projects and ongoing project activities in the context of Nepal's energy transformation and climate change, and in relation to current development partnerships and future investment pathways.
• Presentation of potential showcase projects and emphasis on investment promotion.
• Knowledge products preparation, publication and distribution.

The inaugural session of this program will be conducted in the presence of Mr. Dipak Khadka, Honorable Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation as the Chief Guest. This session includes short presentations on clean energy transformation for a resilient and low carbon-based economy and speeches from representatives of the Government of Nepal, development partners and the private sector.

In the second half, five plenary sessions will be conducted on the following topics: (1) Sectoral status, opportunities, and challenges of energy transformation, (2) Energy transformation to achieve the goal of net zero emissions and a resilient economy, (3) Investment and carbon finance for energy transformation: need for internal and external investment, (4) Regulatory framework, good governance, and capacity building for energy transformation, (5) Future roadmap for energy transformation including a low-carbon economy. Prior to this event, views, articles, and opinions of experts in related fields will be published and broadcast through various online magazines, national dailies, television and other media. AEPC requests the media to extend their valuable support for this effort.

The Summit is expected to strengthen the identification of sectoral needs for energy transformation, the identification of investment needs and climate finance mechanisms for energy transformation, investment promotion, and development cooperation. It will also support the effective implementation of the "Energy Development Roadmap and Action Plan 2081" and the "Electricity Consumption Increase and Mineral Fuel Reduction Action Plan, 2080," recently approved by the GoN.

Since the establishment of AEPC till the end of FY 2080/81 (2023/24), the physical progress data shows that 40,253 kW capacity of Micro and Mini-Hydropower projects, 11,104 numbers of Improved Water Mills, 996,647 Solar home System (SHS) at household level, 4,332 Institutional Solar PV Systems, 3,097 kWp Solar Mini-Grids, Solar-Wind Mini-Grid Projects, 18,293 kWp Solar Rooftop Installations, 2,464 Solar Dryers and Cookers, 3,691 Solar Irrigation Pumps, 132,211 Improved Metallic Stoves, 33 Institutional Gasifiers, 59,385 Electric Stoves, 450,770 Domestic Biogas Systems, 1,423,242 Improved Mud Stoves, 369 institutional, urban, and commercial biogas units, 1,766 Productive Energy Uses, 3,309 Solar Street Lights, and 4,758 Solar PV systems at monasteries, temples, and homestays have been installed.

AEPC has provided clean renewable energy services to approximately 3.65 million households across the country. Renewable energy technologies account for approximately 6% of the total electricity access. The center has given emphasis on electricity access expansion and clean cooking energy technologies. More than 500 companies are actively engaged in the renewable energy sector, generating direct and indirect employment for over 40,000 people.