KATHMANDU: A nine-month study conducted by Practical Action, a non-government organisation, has suggested that there is a need of a separate regulatory body to minimise energy poverty by 50 per cent by 2016 and completely end energy poverty by 2026.

The study — based on the secondary data of national sources like Water and Energy Commission Secretariat, Alternative Energy Promotion Centre, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development and National Planning Commission as well as international sources — also sought the need for increased involvement of private sector in energy generation and the government's role for their capacity building, as the government's sole effort may not be able to cater to the need of growing population.

The study was based on energy consumption on three activities -- cooking, lighting and water-boiling. The study revealed that there was 80 to 90 per cent energy poverty in the country because the access to energy is limited and much of the modern technologies are not accessible and affordable to rural areas.

Ranjan Parajuli, research coordinator, Practical Action, today told this daily, "Ninety per cent people are still dependent on traditional mud stoves in rural areas. Even in urban areas, people are not getting LPG on time, which is contributing to energy poverty." He also said there was 22 per cent energy poverty in lighting in urban areas and 72 per cent in rural areas according to the data of 2006. "At least 61 per cent of households need access to electricity through national grid to reduce energy poverty in lighting by 50 per cent by 2016. Rural electrification programme needs to be continued. It can supply electricity to at last seven per cent households through micro hydel projects and 13 per cent households through solar power," he added.

Parajuli further added that at least 1.25 million households need to have improved cooking stoves, 0.02 million need to have accessibility to gasifier, 052 million need to have access to biogas, 0.97 million need to have access to LPG, 0.25 million need to have access to kerosene and 0.55 million need to have access to electric cooking devices to decrease energy poverty in cooking and water-boiling by 50 per cent in 2016. "This will still leave at least 1.96 million households depending on traditional biomass stoves," he added.

He underscored the need of institutional strengthening to ensure the accessibility of energy in an abundant way and dissemination of targeted technology as well as capacity building through formal/informal trainings and vocational education.