The future of energy sources for Nepal is slowly taking a shift from imported LPG towards domestic and renewable sources. Nepal Government has articulated an ambitious objective in its second Nationally Determined Contribution NDC in using alternative cooking focusing on transitioning from traditional biomass and LPG to electric cooking with a target 25% of households using electric stoves by 2030.
The target plays a crucial role in Nepal as the majority of households still rely on traditional biomass for cooking purposes thereby affecting health, environment and the society.
According to the 2018-2028 Decade of Energy and Hydropower initiative, the Nepal government aims to decrease the use of imported fuels and promote the use of induction cooktops and Efficient Pressure Cookers (EPCs).
The Urban vs. Rural Divide
Access to clean cooking is very important for sustainable economic and environmental development of a country. Reports suggest that 2.3 billion people across the world do not have access to clean cooking and over 3 million people lost their lives from household air pollution (HAP) in 2023.
Particulate matter and toxic compounds like black carbon, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds produced from the solid biomass and fossil fuel combustion adversely affect health and the environment all over. As a result, over 24,000 people die prematurely every year due to inhaling the gas produced from the combustion of solid biomass.
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| Source: Clean Cooking Alliance |
Though the target set by the Nepal Government seems promising, the over reliance of Nepal on fossil fuels is one of the main hindrances to the country’s goal. According to the Water and Energy Commission Secretariat report, less than 1% approximately 0.5% to 0.6% of Nepalese households use electricity as their primary cooking fuel as of 2023.
Approximately 94% to 99% of Nepalese have access to electricity but the reports clearly suggest that the country is far behind to achieve the target.
While the advantages of cleaner, modern and energy efficient cooking practices is evident, it is still a big challenge in rural areas. Reports suggest that more than half 54% of Nepalese households still use unprocessed or traditional biomass like animal dung, agriculture residue and fuelwood as a primary source of energy for cooking.
GO Electric! The Practice Starts From Home
It seems difficult to control the incidence of liquid petroleum gas use, however, electric cooking is slowly replacing LPG. Nepal imported over 204,393 units (130,745 induction, 73,648 infrared)in FY 2022-23 marking a 30% increase from the previous fiscal year valued at Rs 425.47 million.
People using electric cooking instead of LPG states that their bills are much lower and the cooking has been much more dependable and convenient.
One of the satisfied user said,
“Households can slash their LPG bills of housewives are trained about the usage and accessibility of E-cooking. It is a smart, affordable, accessible and simple method of cooking.”
Nepal is almost entirely dependent on India for its LPG and broader fuel needs. LPG not only aids carbon dioxide emission but also depletes Nepal’s meager foreign exchange reserves increasing fuel imports leading to energy instability.
CEO of People, Energy, and Environment Development Association (PEEDA) Biraj Gautam stated that the awareness of electric cooking is more spreading in urban than rural Nepal. PEEDA is a non governmental organization in Nepal focused on sustainable development and renewable energy. Gautam leads PEEDA’s efforts in rural energy, electric cooking initiatives and micro-hydro projects.
Gautam said,
“There is no denying the financial advantages of switching to electric stoves. Less reliance on imported LPG gas will accumulate valuable foreign exchange reserves, which can subsequently be directed towards more fruitful industries that support the advancement of the country. Beyond the financial benefits, Nepal’s goals for sustainable development are ideally aligned with the use of electric stoves. Since electricity is a greener and clean energy source, it is essential for lowering carbon emissions and lessening the negative effects of climate change.”
Former Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and Pulchowk Engineering College professor Mukesh Kafle said,
“The need for an in-depth assessment of Nepal’s energy infrastructure in light of the surge in imports of electric stoves. A regular and consistent supply of electricity would be necessary to keep up the momentum and promote the widespread use of electric stoves.”
The NEA has sufficient generation capacity to support electric cooking appliances especially during the wet seasons but faces challenges with weak distribution infrastructure, overloading, and voltage fluctuations in some areas. While NEA is upgrading its infrastructures, over 75% of households still have low capacity 5A meters that still requires an upgrade for safe and heavy-duty electric cooking. For efficient use of induction stoves, a shift to 15A or higher is necessary and NEA is working on the upgrade.
The transition to clean cooking is actually possible if the government and every single household play their specified role. Creating awareness for the positive effect of electric cooking with a great promise of environmental sustainability and public health can hopefully make the country’s goal a success by 2030!
