Initiatives taken by RECAST, Tribhuvan University in the Development and Promotion RETs in Nepal.

1. Research Initiatives taken by
RECAST in Renewable Energy
Technologies(RETs)
Prof. Krishna Raj Shrestha
Research Centre for Applied Science and
Technology (RECAST)
Tribhuvan University
Kathmandu, Nepal

2. Introduction
• RECAST was established on September
8, 1977 as a premier R & D institution
within the organizational framework of
Tribhuvan University. RECAST functioned
as a secretariat to the National Council for
Science and Technology, Government of
Nepal till 1999. It is designated as a
national focal point of Asia-Pacific Centre
for Transfer of Technology (APCTT) of the
UNESCAP

3. Research Centre for Applied Science
and Technology (RECAST)

4. Objectives
• To undertake research for the
identification, development, conservation,
utilization and dissemination of indigenous
technology
• To search and identify modern
technologies appropriate to Nepal and
explore their prospects for technology
transfer and adaptation; and
• To conduct research in basic and applied
sciences.

5. Research Areas
• Renewable Energy
• Natural Products Utilization
• Bio-technology
• Low cost Building Materials
• Small scale Food Processing
• Appropriate Technology

6. ENERGY SCENARIO IN NEPAL
Total Energy Consumption 9.344 Million TOE (Economic
survey, 2009)
Per Capita energy consumption 15 GJ
Traditional Energy Sources(8.204m toe) 87.8 %
Wood 89.2 %
Agri-residues 4.2 %
Animal Dung 6.6%
Commercial (1.074 mtoe) 11.5 %
Petroleum 63.7 %
Coal 17.5 %
Electricity 18.8 %
Renewables 0.70 %

7. Nepal’s Energy ScenarioNepal’s Energy Scenario
Source: Economic Survey (2009), MoF/GoNSource: Economic Survey (2009), MoF/GoN

8. Light for all
Energy need

9. •Domestic need
•Cooking our meal
•Heating or cooling
•Lighting in the dark
•Entertainment (TV, Radio, Video, and so on)
•Transportation
•Energy for Industries and commercial activities
Energy is needed for our daily life

10. What do we have for cooking and space heating
Fire wood Agriculture waste
Animal dung
27,63,491 HH + 29,221 HH
4,21,620 HH 70,966 HH
Dome type Biogas plant
Kerosene 5,71,901
Fossil fuel imported
LPG 3,21,433 HH

11. What is our potential?
Hydropower
Solar Energy
Wind Energy
Bio-Energy
Geothermal Energy
Commercial fuel Petroleum products

12. Hydro power potential estimated 83000 MW
•Out of which 43,000 MW economically feasible
•yet so far only 689.2 MW Installed including
53.41MW from thermal power stations and 4.5
MW from Off Grid.
Challenges
•limited resources (Fund).
•remote locations,
•technical constraints
•socio-economic constraints
(urban poor are most neglected)

13. Solar potential
300 days of Sunshine in year
and
Annual average energy available
4.2 Kwh/sq.m/day
So far219,663 SolarHome System (SHS)
including solarTuki have been installed
throughout rural Nepal

14. As per study conducted by
DANIDA:-Only in
Kagbeny approximately
200 MW power generation
is possibility by installing
Wind Turbines
No properly recorded wind
data are available to
estimate wind potential yet
we know there are many
“Batase Danda” in Nepal

15. 27,63,491 HH
It is possible to reduce need for
fire wood by constructing
improved cook stoves and energy
efficient stoves
Beehive
briquette and
Stove

16. RET Related Activities of
RECAST
• During last three decades of its existence
RECAST was involved in the following RET
related activities.
• Solar energy
• Micro-Hydro Energy
• Biomass Energy
• Wind Energy
• Geo-Thermal Energy

17. Solar Energy:
• RECAST’s activities in Solar Energy are
concentrated mainly in Solar Thermal
Devices, which included Solar Dryers,
Solar Cookers and Solar Stills. Only initial
research works were carried out on Solar
PV - devices mainly on Solar Water
Pumping.

18. Solar Dryer
? *))) – @))))

19. RETs in Asia(1996-2003)
• The project was carried out in three different phases with
the support from Swedish International Development
Cooperation Agency (SIDA) coordinated by Asian
Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand. The regional
programme is entitled “Renewable Energy Technologies
is Asia: a Regional Research and Dissemination
Programme (RETs in Asia). Under this project, RECAST
carried out extensive research activities and developed
different types of solar dryers like, cabinet dryer, rack
type solar dryer, tunnel type solar dryer and solar-
biomass hybrid dryer. These improved solar dryers were
disseminated to different parts of the country by
conducting proper trainings to various community
groups, NGOs, INGOs and local government bodies.

20. Solar Tunnel Dryer

21. Micro-Hydro Energy
• Like Solar Energy, Micro-Hydro Energy is also
one of the RET related activities in which
RECAST was involved from the very beginning
on studies in an improvement on Traditional
Water Wheels, the first activities carried out in
this sector. These were then followed by the
applied research works on low-cost turbines of
cross-flow type and propeller type and in
between a series of other development works on
water lifting devices.

22. Biomass Energy
Improved Cook Stoves (ICS)
• RECAST is the pioneering institute of Nepal
in the development and dissemination of
Improved Cook Stoves (ICS).
• With the support of community Forestry
Development Project (CFDP), assisted by FAO
in 1981, RECAST carried out research works for
the development of designing of improved cook
stoves suitable for Nepal.

25. Biomass Gasification for Electricity
Generation
• RECAST has developed a Biomass gasification plant in 1985/86
based on a Swedish model. The gasifier was tested successfully by
operating 5 hp engine generator as well as a HONDA water pump. It
was a down draft gasifier using charcoal as fuel. The technology
was demonstrated successfully by RECAST at different
technological exhibitions organized at that time by RONAST as well
as Agricultural Development Bank (ADB/N).
• The technology was further demonstrated by the Rural Energy
Development Programmed (REDP) of UNDP with the Resource
Persons from RECAST at Chaubas VDC of Kavre District in
1998/99 for generating electricity. The electricity thus generated
from the biomass gasification plant was supplied to the local
community for lighting in 26 houses for about three months. The
project however, was discontinued because of the management
problems.

27. Biomass Gasification for Electricity
Generation

28. Biodiesel from Jatropha curcus (1997-2004)
• with the funding support from the University
College Northampton, Oxford Brookes
university, U.K and the British Council in Nepal,
RECAST has undertaken the project entitled
“Exploration and Utilization of the Indigenous
Renewable Oil Resources in Nepal”. Under this
project, RECAST has successfully developed a
process of extracting bio-diesel from the plant
Jatropha curcus and utilizing this plant oil for
operating a diesel engine as a substitute for
diesel fuel.

29. Biodiesel from Jatropha curcus

30. TRAINING TO THE FOCUSED GROUPS
• Skill transfer training
programmes to women groups
• Training programme included
seed and seedlings
propagation and the collection ,
preparation, establishment and
planting
• Operation, simple
maintenance and repair of the
machines
• Soap production and use of its
byproducts

31. • Biomass Briquetting
• In 1982, two different Briquetting technologies were introduced
in Nepal, namely Pyrolysing and extrusion technology. Nearly
20 enterprises registered with the Ministry of Industry for the
installation of Briquetting plants. However, these industries
were closed due to poor profitability and marketing problems,
as well as shortage of rice husk..
• A technique for producing beehive shaped charcoal briquettes
from leaves, twigs and forestry/agricultural residues has been
developed in Nepal. The briquettes are easy to ignite, burn
quite cleanly and can be used for cooking as well as for space
heating.

32. Beehive Briquette

33. Wind Energy
• There had been some applied R&D works
on wind energy at RECAST. It had
experimented with two different propeller
type of windmill from Allahabad, India at
various geographical locations and
meteorological situations.

34. Geo- thermal Energy
• In this sector of RET only a few field
studies were carried out to ascertain the
characteristics and uses of the existing
geothermal resources in Nepal.

35. Rocket Stove Cardamom Dryer
• Recently, RECAST has developed and
successfully tested Rocket Stove Dryer for the
drying of large cardamom in Panchthar, Ilam
and Dhankuta District. The project was
supported by the Netherlands Development
Organization (SNV). The new dryer has a
uniform heat distribution system and saves
about 50 % fuel wood compared to traditional
bhatti. Cardamom dried in the new dryer is
better in quality retaining its purple color and
higher percentage of essential oil.

36. TRADITIONAL CARDAMOM DRYING
PRACTICES: contd.
Cardamoms are dried in batches of
square or rectangular structure,
stonewalls made up of mud mortared
plastered with mud of 1.5 - 6 sq m and
about 1.2 - 2.5 m high,
front opening of about 60 cm by 80 cm to
feed firewood,

37. Cardamom Drying in Traditional Bhatti

38. Rocket Stove

40. • Nepal stands first in global cardamom production
• Can be commercially grown in 39 hilly district of Nepal
However, eastern districts produce 90% of the total
production Taplejung- highest cardamom producing
district
• 18.7 million US $ worth export earning in 2008/09
• One the highest foreign currency generating commodity
• Contributes to more than 70 percent household income
in Taplejung district.
• Offers local employment opportunities

41. Construction of RS Dryer

42. Natural Draft RS Dryer with Chimney in Kahule

43. • The performance evaluation of the Rocket Stove based
drying system of large cardamom is found better
against the traditional drying technique currently
adopted at Phidim district.
• The 50 % reduction on fuel wood consumption.
• The quality of cardamom is improved by retaining its
pink brown color, smokeless odor and more than 35 %
volatile oil content in comparison to the traditional
dryer.

44. Rocket Stove DryerRocket Stove DryerTraditional DryerTraditional Dryer