Nepal: 100%

Nepal, the Himalayan country not far from Bhutan, has increased its people’s access to electricity greatly without expanding fossil fuels. Currently, 92.5% of Nepalese people have access to electricity, compared to only 51% in 2006. Similar to Bhutan, the vast majority of electricity generation in Nepal originates from hydroelectric power, which generates about 1142 megawatts to use from 88 hydroelectric plants across the country, especially the Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project, which was opened in 2021. However, due to shortfalls on investment and irregular water seasons, the current hydroelectric capacity is still far from its intended goal of 15,000 megawatts per year by 2030.

While hydroelectric power has been the national strategy for Nepal for decades, the environmental costs of dams in recent years has become more palpable due to its impact on fish migration and methane emissions, while its construction often results in the displacement of entire communities

As the sun shines nearly 300 days a year across Nepal, the Himalayan country has been also trying to explore solar energy input. Recent large-scale solar projects, such as the 25 megawatts capacity Nuwakot solar plant, have highlighted the growing interest in utility-scale solar facilities. Nepal’s Renewable Energy Subsidy Policy, which has been revised multiple times since 2012, provides subsidies covering up to 40% of the total cost for deploying renewable technologies, with a focus on off-grid applications like solar, micro-hydro, and biogas.