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

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

Research Centre for Applied Science and Technology (RECAST)

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.

Research Areas 

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

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 %

Nepal’s Energy ScenarioNepal’s Energy Scenario

Source: Economic Survey (2009), MoF/GoNSource: Economic Survey (2009), MoF/GoN

Light for all

Energy need

•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

What do we have for cooking and space heatingFire 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

What is our potential?Hydropower

Solar Energy

Wind Energy

Bio-Energy

Geothermal Energy

Commercial fuel Petroleum products

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)

Solar potential300 days of Sunshine in yearand Annual average energy available4.2 Kwh/sq.m/day

So far 219,663 Solar Home System (SHS) including solar Tuki have been installed throughout rural Nepal

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

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

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

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.

Solar Dryer

? *))) – @))))

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.

Solar Tunnel Dryer

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.

Biomass EnergyImproved 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.

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.

Biomass Gasification for Electricity Generation

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.

Biodiesel from Jatropha curcus

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

• 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.

Beehive Briquette

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.

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.

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.

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,

Cardamom Drying in Traditional Bhatti

Rocket Stove

• 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

Construction of RS Dryer

Natural Draft RS Dryer with Chimney in Kahule

• 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.

Rocket Stove DryerRocket Stove DryerTraditional DryerTraditional Dryer