The WISIONS Team Visits Two SEPS Projects in Nepal

During a recent trip to Nepal our team took the opportunity to visit two of our SEPS projects in the country.

One of these projects, entitled  Demonstration of Sustainable Low Head Pico-Hydro to Deliver Enhanced Rural Energy Services to the Terai Region of Nepal, is being conducted by PEEDA in cooperation with KAPEG. It aims to use micro hydro power generated by a low head propeller turbine to demonstrate the feasibility of this clean energy technology in the Okhaldhunga district of Nepal.

Two low head propeller turbines (1 kW and 3 kW) were recently installed and are now ready for operation. To ensure community involvement, an energy committee which observes all business stages has been formed and locally trained technicians will ensure reliable operation and maintenance of the systems. The turbines, as well as the used Electric Load Controller, were developed and produced in Nepal and are being tested in the field as part of this project.

The second visit was to the  Community Managed Energy Service for Vegetable Market Chain project which is being implemented by Practical Action Nepal. The objective is to demonstrate the viability of an innovative management and finance concept for the installation of a community irrigation system by using a photovoltaic pumping system to increase production levels and enhance the quality and variety of the vegetables produced.

The entire village, which is in the surroundings of Kathmandu, is fully committed and very enthusiastic about the project. The company that will install the solar systems has recently been appointed; once the innovative irrigation system is up and running, it aims to allow for up to four harvests per year, a greater selection of crops and improved marketing/sales of produce to the capital.

Various photos of our project visits are available on our Facebook page here and here.

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