KATHMANDU, MARCH 31Minister for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation, Shakti Bahadur Basnet, presented a proposal in today's meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR), seeking general discussions on the agreement related to establishing the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
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He informed the House that all member nations of the United Nations were affiliated with it.
Nepal signed the agreement in 2022, with 118 countries signing it thus far and 97 countries approving it, he added.The Energy Minister emphasized that Nepal signed this pact with a commitment to prioritizing the use of clean energy and advancing energy security to effectively combat the challenges of climate change.
He pointed out that in Nepal, priority should be given to solar energy due to the fluctuating production of hydroelectricity throughout the year.Minister Basnet argued that while hydroelectricity production increases during the monsoon, it decreases during the dry season, whereas energy demand and consumption remain relatively constant.
Therefore, solar energy presents the best immediate solution to address the electricity demand, as construction of reservoir-based hydroelectric projects is time-consuming.Lawmaker Madhav Sapkota stated that signing the ISA founding agreement would benefit Nepal by increasing access to green finance.
He emphasized that solar energy is the best option to bridge the gap between energy demand and supply in the country, and called for special parliamentary discussions on climate change issues.Lawmaker Sobita Gautam stressed the importance of expanding access to renewable energy sources to reduce the reliance on imported petroleum products, which account for approximately 23 percent of Nepal's total imports.Ganesh Parajuli highlighted the potential for attracting significant foreign direct investment into the country's solar energy sector.Lawmaker Metmani Chaudhary urged the government to give equal priority to solar power generation alongside hydropower to meet the growing demand for electricity in the country.
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