Centre for Capacity Building (CECAB) organized an interaction program on Alternative Energy and Sustainability in Nepalese Context: Applications of Solar Energy on 16 January 2016 / 2 Magh 2072 (Saturday) at Hotel Pacific (P.) Ltd. Kantipath, Kathmandu with the purpose of sharing knowledge on solar energy applications in Nepal. In this regard, the main objectives of the program were mainly:
- to understand about the alternative approaches and solutions to solve the prevailing energy crisis of the country in terms of individual level, organizational level, and community level; and
- to share the information about current policy, act, rules and support scheme of the government with regard to the solar energy supply to the people; and
- to explore and share information and knowledge on the scope and possibility of investment in solar energy in Nepal.
Twenty-five participants with different backgrounds mainly the technicians, investors, and senior staff of different co-operatives, businessmen, consumers, and interested general citizens participated in the program.
The interaction program was highlighted by Dr. Shankar Prasad Rajbhandari, Center Chief, Center for Capacity Building followed by the presentation of Prof. Jagan Nath Shrestha, Ph.D mainly on the topical issue relating to solar energy in Nepal. The next presentation was delivered by Er. Abinash Barun, Urban solar Energy officer, Alternative Energy Promotion Centre, Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, Government of Nepal.
At the end of the program, the floor was opened for handling question-answers and discussions among the participants and resource persons attended. The questions and quarries from the floor were mainly focused on applications of solar energy in combating the present energy crisis, prospects for investment in solar energy, and the current available support of the government in solar energy promotion in the country.
Participants were found satisfied with the event and expressed that they were highly benefited from the interaction program as they got good opportunities to interact with the senior technical experts of solar energy and concerned authorities of the government and other entrepreneurs involved in solar business that helped them to gain new knowledge and information regarding solar energy promotion in Nepal. In the course of wrapping up the event, the Center Chief of CECAB opined that the one-to-one network developed among attendees can be considered as an added value of the program to carry on the further initiations towards fulfilling the aforesaid ends. Moreover, the discussions on the concepts of community based solar energy marketing and possibilities of public private partnership in promoting solar energy business were also remarkably useful parts of the event.