At a time when the Nepal Government has prioritized energy access as a vital step to improve population welfare, economic prosperity, and energy sovereignty for the country, a consortium of national and international organizations launched the Clean Cooking Explorer for Nepal.

Organized by Alternative Energy Promotion Center (AEPC), in partnership with the Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA), World Resources Institute, Nepal Open University, Kartoza, and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, member of National Planning Commission Dr. Surendra Lav Karna opened the Global Launch of the Clean Cooking Explorer for Nepal.

In his inaugural address, Dr. Karna has said that this is highly important for sharing information regarding clean cooking in Nepal, He said that promoting clean cooking has many advantages for Nepal including it helps to reduce the impact of climate change, saving the lives of people by reducing traditional energy and reduce Nepal’s foreign trade imbalance offering clean energy generated in Nepal.

Keeping in mind to fulfill SDG’s goal, the Nepal government has announced the years 2018 to 2028 as the “Decade of Energy and Hydropower” to realize the dream of “Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali.”

In line with this vision, Nepal Government has set ambitious clean cooking targets that include the adoption of electric cooking by 25% of households nationwide by 2030. The availability of relevant data and tools can play a significant role in promoting clean cooking throughout Nepal to achieve its clean cooking targets. Moreover, location-specific data allows the development of comprehensive and regional-specific support and decision-making with the integration of information related to supply and demand.

The Clean Cooking Alliance, in collaboration with the World Resources Institute, Kartoza, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Alternative Energy Promotion Center, and Nepal Open University, developed the Clean Cooking Explorer to accelerate clean cooking access in Nepal.

This integrated energy planning platform aims to provide stakeholders across public and private sectors with the data and tools needed to inform their strategies for a robust clean cooking transition. The platform integrates and analyzes geospatial datasets related to both the potential demand and supply of clean cooking technologies, enabling data-driven planning, coordination, and decision-making to support the uptake and adoption of clean cooking throughout the country. Learn more by visiting CleanCookingExplorer.org.

In her opening remarks, Karuna Bajracharya from Clean Cooking Alliance said that the Global Launching of the clean cooking explorer for Nepal is an important step to achieving the target to provide clean cooking to all Nepalis. She expressed happiness over the support given by the APEC to make this possible.

The Clean Cooking Explorer is the first of its kind online, open-source, and interactive geospatial data platform for accelerating clean cooking access in Nepal. The spatial platform integrates and supports the analysis of geospatial datasets related to both the potential demand and supply of clean cooking services, allowing for data-driven planning, coordination, and decision-making to support the uptake and adoption of clean cooking. The tool will play an important role in helping the Government of Nepal achieve its ambitious clean cooking target, which includes 25% of households using electric cooking by 2030.

Madhusudhan Adhikari, the Executive Director of the Alternative Energy Promotion Center,

Dymphna van der Lans, Clean Cooking Alliance, also addressed the program through video remarks.

As the availability of relevant data and tools can play a significant role in promoting clean cooking throughout Nepal to achieve its clean cooking targets, the global launching is important.

The explorer, among others, provides location-specific data which allows the development of comprehensive and regional specific support and decision-making with the integration of information related to supply and demand.

This integrated energy planning platform aims to provide stakeholders across public and private sectors with the data and tools needed to inform their strategies for a robust clean cooking transition. The platform integrates and analyzes geospatial datasets related to both the potential demand and supply of clean cooking technologies, enabling data-driven planning, coordination, and decision-making to support the uptake and adoption of clean cooking throughout the country. Learn more by visiting CleanCookingExplorer.org.

Addressing the program, the vice-chancellor of Open University Shilu Bajracharya said that working in collaboration with many organizations also helps the university in improving its research capability.