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Roles and potentials of renewable energy in less-developed economies: The case of Nepal

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  • Nepal, Rabindra

Abstract

Increasing the share of renewable energy in the national energy mix remains one of the major energy policy goals across many economies. This paper assesses the roles and potentials of renewable energy sources in less-developed economies while citing Nepal as an example. Renewable energy has a significant role to play in the electrification of rural areas in developing economies and contribute towards sustainable development. Realizing full potentials of renewable, however, requires addressing both the associated demand-side and supply-side constraints. Innovative subsidies and tax incentives, adequate entrepreneurial support, strengthening institutional arrangement and promoting local community-based organizations such as the cooperatives are the necessary factors in promoting the green technologies in countries like Nepal. International factors such as large scale investment and adequate technology transfer are equally crucial to create a rapid spread and increase affordability of decentralized renewable energy technologies in less-developed economies.

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  • Nepal, Rabindra, 2012. "Roles and potentials of renewable energy in less-developed economies: The case of Nepal," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(4), pages 2200-2206.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:16:y:2012:i:4:p:2200-2206
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2012.01.047
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    5. al Irsyad, M. Indra & Halog, Anthony & Nepal, Rabindra, 2018. "Estimating the impacts of financing support policies towards photovoltaic market in Indonesia: A social-energy-economy-environment (SE3) model simulation," Working Papers 2018-09, University of Tasmania, Tasmanian School of Business and Economics.
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    10. Poudel, B. & Parton, K. & Morrison, M., 2022. "The drivers of the sustainable performance of renewable energy-based mini-grids," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 1206-1217.
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    13. Nepal, Rabindra & Paija, Nirash, 2019. "Energy security, electricity, population and economic growth: The case of a developing South Asian resource-rich economy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 771-781.
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    18. Gurung, Anup & Karki, Rahul & Cho, Ju Sik & Park, Kyung Won & Oh, Sang-Eun, 2013. "Roles of renewable energy technologies in improving the rural energy situation in Nepal: Gaps and opportunities," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 1104-1109.
    19. Qamruzzaman, Md & Karim, Salma & Jahan, Ishrat, 2022. "Nexus between economic policy uncertainty, foreign direct investment, government debt and renewable energy consumption in 13 top oil importing nations: Evidence from the symmetric and asymmetric inves," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 121-136.
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    22. Joanna Rakowska & Irena Ozimek, 2021. "Renewable Energy Attitudes and Behaviour of Local Governments in Poland," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-17, May.
    23. Kim, Kyeongseok & Park, Hyoungbae & Kim, Hyoungkwan, 2017. "Real options analysis for renewable energy investment decisions in developing countries," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 918-926.
    24. Li, Feng & Liu, Hao & Ma, Yinhan & Xie, Xiaohua & Wang, Yunshu & Yang, Yejun, 2022. "Low-carbon spatial differences of renewable energy technologies: Empirical evidence from the Yangtze River Economic Belt," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    25. Poudel, B. & Maley, J. & Parton, K. & Morrison, M., 2021. "Factors influencing the sustainability of micro-hydro schemes in Nepal," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Renewable; Electrification; Research and development;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q42 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Alternative Energy Sources
    • Q01 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - General - - - Sustainable Development
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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