Kathmandu, February 10:

Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MoEST) is organising Alternative Energy exhibition on February 13-15 at Bhrikutimandap Exhibition hall in Kathmandu.

The government has declared the year 2065 BS an Alternative Energy Year. “To promote the alternative and renewal energy, the ministry is organising the exhibition,” Umesh Mainali, secretary at the MoEST, said.

The global consumption of alternative energy stands at eight per cent in total energy consumption. “At a time when Nepal is facing a severe power crisis alternative energy can help reduce current power crisis,” he added.

The government in this fiscal year’s budget has also promised to generate 20 MW from the wind energy. But the process of generating energy from wind is moving at a snail’s pace. “We may be able to generate around 4-5 KW within this fiscal year,” said Mangal Das Maharjan, acting executive director at the Alternative Energy Promotion Ce-ntre that has received a couple of proposals for installation of wind turbines. Apart from wind, biomass and geo thermal, solar energy is yet another alternative energy that Nepal can take benefit from.

The three-day exhibition is expected to be visited by around 15,000 to 20,000.