Nepal gets most of its electricity from hydropower sources, but it is looking to expand the role of solar power in its energy mix.[1] The average global solar radiation in Nepal varies from 3.6 to 6.2 kWh/m2/day, sun shines for about 300 days a year, the number of sunshine hours amounts almost 2100 hours per year with an average of 6.8 hours of sunshine each day and average insolation intensity about 4.7 kWhm²/day.
Power cuts with an average of 10 hours per day in the past time[2] had been common in Nepal and Nepal Electricity Authority[3] used to publish a time table for power cuts. Solar energy can be seen as a more reliable source of energy in Nepal than the traditional electricity. Private installations of solar panels are more frequent in Nepal.
The People living in places such as Madi, Chitwan, where the Electricity Authority does not provide electricity[4] because of Chitwan National Park, have been relying on solar power[5] for several years.
In 2015, the World Bank agreed to invest 130 million dollars into the development of a 25MW solar power plant. They plan to connect it to the national power grid in the future. Construction of the plant began in April 2018 in the Nuwakot district. The project will serve the Kathmandu valley upon completion.[6]
In 2019, Nepal's Department of Electricity Development approved survey licenses for 21 locations to prepare for the possible installation of 56 solar plants, which could have a combined solar capacity of 317.14 MW.[1] The largest planned solar energy project is a 120 MW solar PV station in Dhalkebar in Dhanusha district.[1]
