Scaling Green Hydrogen for Nepal’s Clean Energy Sovereignty

In a new article, Sarita Karki, Director of SEFNep, explores the monumental shift in Nepal’s energy landscape following the inauguration of Asia’s first green hydrogen cooking demonstration in Baglung, Nepal.

Karki argues that this pilot project is more than a technical achievement; it is a critical milestone for national sovereignty and public health. Her article outlines the strategic imperative of scaling green hydrogen across Nepal:

1. The Reality of the Himalayas & Energy Storage

While Nepal possesses vast hydropower potential, unpredictable river flows and climate-induced extreme weather (like glacial lake outburst floods) make generation unstable. Green hydrogen acts as the ultimate “battery,” allowing Nepal to convert excess monsoon electricity into storable fuel for the dry season, balancing the grid and mitigating climate risks.

2. Decentralized Production & Breaking Monopolies

The Baglung pilot successfully utilized electricity from an underused micro-hydro plant to power an electrolyzer, proving that decentralized energy is viable. Karki emphasizes that scaling this model requires breaking historical institutional monopolies. With recent government commitments to unbundle the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), local governments now have a constitutional opportunity to build resilient, community-owned energy systems.

3. Eliminating “Gas Cylinder Blackmail”

Nepal spends nearly 10% of its GDP importing fossil fuels, exposing the economy to geopolitical supply shocks. Karki proposes a bold shift: transitioning the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) into a green energy leader that leverages its existing logistics network for hydrogen distribution, keeping energy revenue within the country and securing true energy independence.

4. Gender Equity and Public Health

With 53% of Nepali households still relying on firewood, the transition to hydrogen is a matter of urgent social justice. Hydrogen provides a clean, smoke-free alternative that directly reduces the burden of “thermal labor” on women and drastically cuts the health risks associated with severe indoor air pollution.

5. Decarbonizing Industry

Beyond the kitchen, green hydrogen holds the key to decarbonizing Nepal’s “hard-to-abate” sectors, from tourism hospitality requiring net-zero operations to brick kilns that currently rely heavily on imported coal.

“The launch in Baglung is a small step but signifies a significant opportunity. It envisions a future where Nepal leads in decentralized clean energy, free from the constraints of geography and global oil markets.” — Sarita Karki, Director of SEFNep

Read the full article published in the SPOTLIGHT by Sarita Karki to understand how Nepal is igniting the Himalayan Flame of clean energy.