skip to main content

A systematic literature review on renewable energy technologies for energy sustainability in Nepal: Key challenges and opportunities

1Faculty of Environmental Management, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yei, Thailand

2Chemistry Division, Department of Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Prince of Songkla University (Pattani Campus), Muang, Pattani 94000, Thailand

Received: 12 Dec 2023; Revised: 28 Jan 2024; Accepted: 8 Feb 2024; Available online: 12 Feb 2024; Published: 1 Mar 2024.
Editor(s): H Hadiyanto
Open Access Copyright (c) 2024 The Author(s). Published by Centre of Biomass and Renewable Energy (CBIORE)
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Citation Format:
Abstract

Energy security is getting louder globally as there are growing concerns about the risk of climate change from using traditional non-renewable energy sources. This systematic literature review is conducted to identify the current state of renewable energy technologies in Nepal supporting the energy sustainability issue, opportunities, and challenges. The peer-reviewed journal articles published in Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases were searched with specified search strings. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis(PRISMA) framework was utilized to search and screen the relevant literature published from 2012 to 2023 related to renewable energy development in Nepal. The Biblioshiny () function of the R-tool was utilized to conduct the meta-analysis of the identified literature. The result shows that the majority of articles were produced after 2019 and among them 50% of the research were conducted on mixed renewables, 19.4% on hydro, 14.5% solar, 8.1% wind, and 8.1% bio-energy. Renewable energy, climate change, sustainability, and policy interventions were identified as major themes in the research. Biomass (66.4%) still dominates the total energy mix and hydropower dominates in electricity generation. This review has explored how the studies were conducted on energy sustainability and renewable energy technologies in the context of Nepal. The review also provides challenges faced by Nepal’s renewable energy sectoral development and the underlined opportunities towards energy sustainability.

Fulltext View|Download
Keywords: Climate change; Energy mix; Energy sustainability; PRISMA framework; Renewable energy; Sustainable development goal; Systematic literature review.

Article Metrics:

  1. Adeyinka-Ojo, S. (2016). PRISMA statement and thematic analysis framework in hospitality and tourism research. In C. Cobanoglu, & V. Della Corte (Eds.), Advances in global services and retail management (pp. 1–10). USF M3 Publishing. https://www.doi.org/10.5038/9781955833035
  2. Adhikari, S., Sopin, J., Techato, K. A., & Mudbhari, B. K. (2023). A Systematic Review on Investment Risks in Hydropower to Developing Sustainable Renewable Energy Systems. International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, 24(2), 222–230. https://doi.org/10.32479/ijeep.14003
  3. Adriaanse, L. S., & Rensleigh, C. (2011). Comparing Web of Science , Scopus and Google Scholar from an Environmental Sciences perspective. SA Jnl Libs & Info Sci . 77(2), 169–178. https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/EJC61362
  4. AEPC. (2022a). Progress at a Glance: Year in Review FY 2078/79 (2021/22). 77. http://www.aepc.gov.np
  5. AEPC. (2022b). Alternate Energy Promotion Centre. https://aepc.gov.np/mission-vision-and-strategy
  6. Azril, H., Shaffril, M., Eric, S., & Farid, S. (2018). Science of the Total Environment A systematic review on Asian ’ s farmers ’ adaptation practices towards climate change. Science of the Total Environment, 644, 683–695. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.06.349
  7. Baral, S., & Kim, K. C. (2014). Existing and recommended renewable energy conversion technologies for electricity generation in Nepal. Energy and Power, 4(1), 16-28. https://doi.org/10.5923/j.ep.20140401.03
  8. Bhandari, B., Lee, K.-T., Chu, W.-S., Lee, C. S., Song, C.-K., Bhandari, P., & Ahn, S.-H. (2017). Socio-economic impact of renewable energy-based power system in mountainous villages of Nepal. Int. J. of Precis. Eng. and Manuf.-Green Tech. 4, 37–44. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40684-017-0005-2
  9. Bhandari, B., Lee, K.-T., Lee, C. S., Song, C.-K., Maskey, R. K., & Ahn, S.-H. (2014). A novel off-grid hybrid power system comprised of solar photovoltaic, wind, and hydro energy sources. Applied Energy, 133, 236–242. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2014.07.033
  10. Bharadwaj, B., Subedi, M. N., Malakar, Y., & Ashworth, P. (2023). Low-capacity decentralized electricity systems limit the adoption of electronic appliances in rural Nepal. Energy Policy, 177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2023.113576
  11. Bhattarai, T. N., Ghimire, S., Mainali, B., Gorjian, S., Treichel, H., & Paudel, S. R. (2023). Applications of smart grid technology in Nepal: status, challenges, and opportunities. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30(10), 25452–25476. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-19084-3
  12. Bhattarai, U., Maraseni, T., Apan, A., & Devkota, L. P. (2023). Rationalizing donations and subsidies: Energy ecosystem development for sustainable renewable energy transition in Nepal. Energy Policy, 177, 113570. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2023.113570
  13. Butchers, J., Williamson, S., Booker, J., Tran, A., Karki, P. B., & Gautam, B. (2020). Understanding sustainable operation of micro-hydropower: a field study in Nepal. Energy for sustainable development, 57, 12–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esd.2020.04.007
  14. Cheng, S., Li, Z., Mang, H.-P., Neupane, K., Wauthelet, M., & Huba, E.-M. (2014). Application of fault tree approach for technical assessment of small-sized biogas systems in Nepal. Applied Energy, 113, 1372–1381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2013.08.052
  15. Cîrstea, S. D., Moldovan-Teselios, C., Cîrstea, A., Turcu, A. C., & Darab, C. P. (2018). Evaluating renewable energy sustainability by composite index. Sustainability (Switzerland), 10(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/su10030811
  16. Clements, W., Pandit, S., Bajracharya, P., Butchers, J., Williamson, S., Gautam, B., & Harper, P. (2021). Techno-economic modelling of micro-hydropower mini-grids in nepal to improve financial sustainability and enable electric cooking. Energies, 14(14). https://doi.org/10.3390/en14144232
  17. Clements, W., Silwal, K., Pandit, S., Leary, J., Gautam, B., Williamson, S., Tran, A., & Harper, P. (2020a). Unlocking electric cooking on Nepali micro-hydropower mini-grids. Energy for Sustainable Development, 57, 119–131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esd.2020.05.005
  18. Clements, W., Silwal, K., Pandit, S., Leary, J., Gautam, B., Williamson, S., Tran, A., & Harper, P. (2020b). Unlocking electric cooking on Nepali micro-hydropower mini-grids. Energy for Sustainable Development, 57, 119–131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esd.2020.05.005
  19. Coelho, S. T. (2012). Traditional biomass energy: Improving its use and moving to modern energy use. Renewable Energy: A Global Review of Technologies, Policies and Markets, January, 230–261. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781849772341
  20. Crootof, A., Shrestha, R., Albrecht, T., Ptak, T., & Scott, C. A. (2021). Sacrificing the local to support the national: Politics, sustainability, and governance in Nepal’s hydropower paradox. Energy Research and Social Science, 80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2021.102206
  21. Dhakal, N., Karki, A. K., & Nakarmi, M. (2016). Waste to Energy: Management of Biodegradable Healthcare Waste through Anaerobic Digestion. Nepal Journal of Science and Technology, 16(1), 41–48. https://doi.org/10.3126/njst.v16i1.14356
  22. Dhakal, R., Sedai, A., Paneru, S., Yosofvand, M., & Moussal, H. (2021). Towards a Net Zero Building Using Photovoltaic Panels: A Case Study in an Educational Building. International Journal of Renewable Energy Research, 11(2), 879–889. https://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.13090127.2021.11.2.36.5
  23. Dhonju, H. K., Uprety, B., & Xiao, W. (2022). Geo-Enabled Sustainable Municipal Energy Planning for Comprehensive Accessibility: A Case in the New Federal Context of Nepal. ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information, 11(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi11050304
  24. Drosos, D., Kyriakopoulos, G. L., Ntanos, S., & Parissi, A. (2021). School managers perceptions towards energy efficiency and renewable energy sources. International Journal of Renewable Energy Development, 10(3), 573–584. https://doi.org/10.14710/ijred.2021.36704
  25. El Anshasy, A. A., & Katsaiti, M. S. (2014). Energy intensity and the energy mix: What works for the environment? Journal of Environmental Management, 136, 85–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2014.02.001
  26. Ghimire, L. P., & Kim, Y. (2018). An analysis on barriers to renewable energy development in the context of Nepal using AHP. Renewable Energy, 129, 446–456. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2018.06.011
  27. Gurung, A., Karki, R., Cho, J. S., Park, K. W., & Oh, S.-E. (2013). Roles of renewable energy technologies in improving the rural energy situation in Nepal: Gaps and opportunities. Energy Policy, 62, 1104–1109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2013.06.097
  28. Gunatilake, H., Wijayatunga, P., and Roland-Hortst, D. (2020). Hydropower Development and Economic Growth in Nepal. History of the Future of Economic Growth, 70, 2–3. https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/612641/hydropower-development-economic-growth-nepal.pdf
  29. IRENA. (2023). International Renewable Enery Agency. https://www.irena.org/Data/Downloads/IRENASTAT
  30. Janjua, Z. ul A., Krishnapillai, G., & Rahman, M. (2021). A Systematic Literature Review of Rural Homestays and Sustainability in Tourism. SAGE Open, 11(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440211007117
  31. Khare, V., Khare, C. J., Nema, S., & Baredar, P. (2022). Path towards sustainable energy development: Status of renewable energy in Indian subcontinent. Cleaner Energy Systems, 3(April), 100020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cles.2022.100020
  32. Khatri, A., & Paija, N. (2022). A long-run nexus of renewable energy consumption and economic growth in Nepal. In Energy-Growth Nexus in an Era of Globalization (pp. 27–66). https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-824440-1.00017-5
  33. Kunwar, S. (2014). Complementarity of Wind, Solar and Hydro Resources for Combating Seasonal Power Shortage in Nepal. Proceedings of the 4th World Sustainability Forum, 1–30 November 2014, MDPI: Basel, Switzerland,. https://doi.org/10.3390/wsf-4-e018
  34. Kyriakopoulos, G. L., & Arabatzis, G. (2016). Electrical energy storage systems in electricity generation: Energy policies, innovative technologies, and regulatory regimes. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 56, 1044–1067. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2015.12.046
  35. Laudari, R., Banskota, K., & Sapkota, B. (2020). Economic viability analysis of wind energy in Nepal. International Energy Journal, 20(4), 595–610. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85099041563&partnerID=40&md5=d44071e2fd52671558156dcdbba6d031
  36. Laudari, R., Sapkota, B. K., & Banskota, K. (2015). Assessment of Economic Viability of Wind Energy in Nepal : A Case Study of Ten Sites. Proceedings of IOE Graduate Conference, June, 169–179
  37. Lohani, S. P., & Blakers, A. (2021). 100% renewable energy with pumpedhydro-energy storage in Nepal, Clean Energy, 5(2), https://doi.org/10.1093/ce/zkab011
  38. Lohani, S. P., Dhungana, B., Horn, H., & Khatiwada, D. (2021). Small-scale biogas technology and clean cooking fuel: Assessing the potential and links with SDGs in low-income countries – A case study of Nepal. Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments, 46(April), 101301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seta.2021.101301
  39. Lohani, S. P., Pokhrel, D., Bhattarai, S., & Pokhrel, A. K. (2022). Technical assessment of installed domestic biogas plants in Kavre, Nepal. Renewable Energy, 181, 1250–1257. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2021.09.092
  40. Malla, S. (2013). Household energy consumption patterns and its environmental implications: Assessment of energy access and poverty in Nepal. ENERGY POLICY, 61, 990–1002. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2013.06.023
  41. MOF/GON. (2023). Economic survery of Nepal, 2023. In Nepal Government. http://www.mof.gov.np/site/publication-category/21?Array
  42. Moher, D., Liberati, A., Tetzlaff, J., & Altman, D. G. (2009). Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The PRISMA statement. BMJ (Online), 339(7716), 332–336. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.b2535
  43. MoWERI/GoN. (2023). MoEWRI: Act and Regulation. https://moewri.gov.np/pages/act-and-regulations
  44. Nakarmi, A. M., Mishra, T., & Banerjee, R. (2016). Integrated MAED–MARKAL-based analysis of future energy scenarios of Nepal. International Journal of Sustainable Energy, 35(10), 968–981. https://doi.org/10.1080/14786451.2014.966712
  45. NEA. (2022). Nepal Electricity Authority: A year review for FY 2021/22
  46. Nepal, R. (2012). Roles and potentials of renewable energy in less-developed economies: The case of Nepal. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 16(4), 2200–2206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2012.01.047
  47. Neupane, D., Kafle, S., Karki, K. R., Kim, D. H., & Pradhan, P. (2022). Solar and wind energy potential assessment at provincial level in Nepal: Geospatial and economic analysis. Renewable Energy, 181, 278–291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2021.09.027
  48. Pariyar, B., Rijal, B., Lovett, J. C., Bisunke, R., & Shrestha, K. K. (2022). Household Characteristics and Energy Provision of Rural Households in Central Nepal. Strategic Planning for Energy and the Environment, 41(1), 1–34. https://doi.org/10.13052/spee1048-5236.4111
  49. Paudel, B., Regmi, N., Phuyal, P., Neupane, D., Hussain, M. I., Kim, D. H., & Kafle, S. (2021). Techno-economic and environmental assessment of utilizing campus building rooftops for solar PV power generation. International Journal of Green Energy, 18(14), 1469–1481. https://doi.org/10.1080/15435075.2021.1904946
  50. Pielken, H. J., Urbanitz, D., Koch, P., & van de Loo, J. (1987). Immunological monitoring in remission acute myeloid leukemia during maintenance therapy. Haematology and Blood Transfusion, 30, 385–386. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-71213-5_65
  51. Poudyal, R., Loskot, P., Nepal, R., Parajuli, R., & Khadka, S. K. (2019). Mitigating the current energy crisis in Nepal with renewable energy sources. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 116, 109388. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2019.109388
  52. Poudyal, R., Loskot, P., Nepal, R., Parajuli, R., & Khadka, S. K. (2020). Mitigating the current energy crisis in Nepal with renewable energy sources. TIDEE: TERI Information Digest on Energy and Environment, 19(1), 58–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2019.109388
  53. Shah, A., Baral, N. R., & Manandhar, A. (2016). Technoeconomic Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment of Bioenergy Systems. In Y. Li & X. Ge (Eds.), Advaces in Bioenerg, 1(1) ,189–247). https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.aibe.2016.09.004
  54. Shakya, S. R., Nakarmi, A. M., Prajapati, A., Pradhan, B. B., Rajbhandari, U. S., Rupakheti, M., & Lawrence, M. G. (2023). Environmental, energy security, and energy equity (3E) benefits of net-zero emission strategy in a developing country: A case study of Nepal. Energy Reports, 9, 2359–2371. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyr.2023.01.055
  55. Shrestha, B., Bajracharya, S. B., Keitsch, M. M., & Tiwari, S. R. (2020). Gender differences in household energy decision-making and impacts in energy saving to achieve sustainability: A case of Kathmandu. Sustainable Development, 28(5), 1049–1062. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.2055
  56. Shrestha, J. N., Techato, K. A., Khongnakorn, W., Gyewali, S., & Dangal, M. R. (2022). Hydropower-Renewable Energy Solution for Sustainable Development: A Review of Hydropower Development in Nepal. Water and Energy International, 65(1), 44–52
  57. Shrestha, M. E. I., Sartohadi, J., Ridwan, M. K., & Hizbaron, D. R. (2014). Converting Urban Waste into Energy in Kathmandu Valley: Barriers and Opportunities. Journal of Environmental Protection, 05(09), 772–779. https://doi.org/10.4236/jep.2014.59079
  58. Shukla, A. K., Sudhakar, K., & Baredar, P. (2017). Renewable energy resources in South Asian countries: Challenges, policy and recommendations. Resource-Efficient Technologies, 3(3), 342–346. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reffit.2016.12.003
  59. Sodari, K. B., & Nakarmi, A. M. (2018). Electricity Generation Potential of Municipal Solid Waste of Nepal and GHG Mitigations. Journal of the Institute of Engineering, 14(1), 151–161. https://doi.org/10.3126/jie.v14i1.20079
  60. Streimikiene, D., Kyriakopoulos, G. L., Ślusarczyk, B., & Stankuniene, G. (2024). Policies and measures for energy efficiency improvement at households: A bibliometric analysis. International Journal of Renewable Energy Development, 13(1), 31–51. https://doi.org/10.14710/ijred.2024.57769
  61. Suman, A. (2021). Role of renewable energy technologies in climate change adaptation and mitigation: A brief review from Nepal. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 151, 111524. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2021.111524
  62. Thapa, R. B., Upreti, B. R., Devkota, D., & Pokharel, G. R. (2020). Identifying the best decentralized renewable energy system for rural electrification in Nepal. Journal of Asian Rural Studies, 4(1), 49–70. https://www.nccr.org.np/uploads/publication/f5c2faf9dfa244f15d659ed238b6fa8e.pdf
  63. UN. (2022). What is renewable energy? UN SDG. https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-renewable-energy
  64. UN SDG. (2022). Sustainable Development. http://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal7
  65. Underwood, G., Hill, D., & Lamichhane, S. (2020). Earthquakes, blockades and energy crises: A conceptual framework for energy systems resilience applied to Nepal. Energy Research and Social Science, 69, 101609. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2020.101609
  66. US_EIA. (2022). Renewable energy explained. https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/renewable-sources/
  67. Vaidya, R. A., Molden, D. J., Shrestha, A. B., Wagle, N., & Tortajada, C. (2021). The role of hydropower in South Asia’s energy future. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 37(3), 367–391. https://doi.org/10.1080/07900627.2021.1875809
  68. WECS/GON. (2017). Government of Nepal Water and Energy Commission Secretariat Electricity Demand Forecast Report. http://wecs.gov.np/source/Electricity%20demand%20creation%20in%20different%20sectors%20(3).pdf

Last update:

No citation recorded.

Last update: 2024-12-10 20:27:58

No citation recorded.