Integrating renewable energy sources in developing countries: A Nepal case study

The paper describes an ongoing development program in Nepal, called RenewableNepal, that aims to build applied research capacity at Nepalese universities and research institutes. As a cooperation between Kathmandu University (KU) in Nepal and SINTEF Energy Research (SINTEF) in Norway, RenewableNepal funds applied research projects at universities that require R&D quality, local industry participation, potential business opportunities and help make Nepal utilize its vast renewable energy resources. KU takes the main responsibility of designing and operating the program, adapting the experience of the Norwegian Research Council (NFR) to Nepali conditions. The projects started have a clear applied research focus and aim to bring in the experience of SINTEF and Norwegian industry present in Nepal to help create good relations between Nepali university researchers and industry. The experiences gained so far are discussed and illustrated with actual projects started.