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Energy needs of tourist lodges in two mountain communities in Nepal: A case study

Boiling Point
Front cover of Boiling Point issue 38
Issue 38 (1997) Household energy in high cold regions

ArticleEnergy needs of tourist lodges in two mountain communities in Nepal: A case study
AuthorKamal Banskota, Kamal Rijal


Besoins énergétiques des logis touristiques dans deux régions montagneuses du Népal:

Cet article montre que dans la région de Ghandruk où ont été promues les énergies de substitution, la consommation de bois est nettement moins importante (30% en moins) que dans l'autre région, Ghorepani, étudiée. L'efficacité énergétique est plus élevée à Ghandruk du fait de l'introduction de nouvelles technologies (cuisson électrique à partir d'équipements de faibles puissances) alors que les émissions de CO2 sont nettement inférieure

This case study analyses two areas, Ghandruk and Ghorepani, which are located in the Annapurna Conservation Area Programme (ACAP). Information collected in 1994 from twenty-two community-based tourist ledges in Ghandruk and eighteen lodges in Ghorepani form the basis of the case study. The study was undertaken to assess the impacts of alternative energy and technology.

Ghandruk has relatively better access to new energy sources and efficient technologies whereas

Ghorepani is largely dependent on firewood; both are heavily dependent on tourism. ACAP has introduced a number of fuel-efficient technologies and alternative energy sources in the area in order to reduce pressure on the forests. These include:
  • establishment of kerosene depots in several areas
  • installation of a 50kW micro-hydro electricity power plant in Ghandruk
  • distribution of low-wattage cookers (Bijuli Dekchi)
  • incentives for installing solar water heaters, back boilers and improved stoves
  • some lodges have also started using LPG

The energy consumption pattern differs significantly between Ghandruk and Ghorepani, particularly as Ghandruk has access to electricity. In Ghorepani, firewood supplemented by kerosene meets the bulk of the energy requirement. Both these areas are almost equally important in terms of tourism.

The average annual consumption of firewood by lodges in Ghandruk is much lower than in Ghorepani: Ghorepani uses much more kerosene. The total energy supplied to each room each year is shown in Table 1.

Table 1: Total energy supplied per room per year
Energy use Ghandruk Ghorepani
Firewood (kg) 475 1865
Kerosene (litres) 90 90
Electricity (kWh) 90 0
Solar (kWh) 0.24 0.09
Gas (cylinders) 0.37 0.09

Total energy requirements per room per year are shown in Table 2 as percentages.

Table 2: Fuel pattern uses in tourist lodges in Ghandruk and Ghorepani (%)
Energy use Ghandruk Ghorepani
Firewood 67 92
Kerosene 27 7.4
Electricity 3 0
Solar 0.01 0
Gas 2.3 0.05

The primary energy generated in the lodges as a whole has been calculated and this is compared with the useful energy. The results are given in Table 3.

Notice that the efficiency of space heating is very high in both cases, but is higher in Ghandruk than in Ghorepani. The cooking efficiency is almost twice as high in Ghandruk as in Ghorepani; this is because of the improved technologies available in Ghandruk (Bijuli Dekchi, rice cookers etc.), which also has improved stoves and back-boilers.

ACAP has played an important role in the diffusion of efficient technology and new sources of energy. Its intervention has been critical in developing an institutional base for energy planning and forest conservation in an area where tourism plays an important role. Key grassroots institutions have been established for sustaining various conservation related programmes as well as development and dissemination of alternative energy. In addition, a great deal of awareness and training programmes have been introduced.

Forest conservation efforts alone would perhaps not have been successful in the absence of affordable energy and end use technology and alternative energy sources.

Table 3: Primary energy and total useful energy for tourist lodges in Ghandruk and Ghorepani
Total primary energy (GJ) Total useful energy (GJ) Efficiency (%)
Ghandrak
Cooking 676 223 33
Water heating 934 267 28
Space heating 538 380 70
Lighting 153 146 95
Motive 6.3 5.3 84
Total 2307.3 1021.3 44
Ghorepani
Cooking 2805 467 17
Water heating 2260 495 22
Space heating 543 353 65
Lighting 260 160 62
Motive 0.0 0.0 -
Total 5868 1575 25

[top] [end]Contents: Boiling Point 38: Household energy in high cold regions

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Household energy in high regions - Dissemination of improved stoves in Nepal - Energy needs of tourist lodges in two mountain communities in Nepal - Stoves used for cooking, water heating and space heating at high altitude in Nepal - Household energy in high cold regions of Morocco - Status of improved stoves in the northern areas of Pakistan - High altitude space heating and cooking stoves in Pakistan - Heating-cum-cooking stoves of the FECT Project - Improved institutional stoves for Sudan schools - Haiti - Cooking stoves and domestic energy - Household energy in a recently electrified rural settlement in Mpumalanga, South Africa - Improved Tunisian domestic bread ovens - Mumu - A traditional method of slow cooking in Papua New Guinea - Reducing the risks of poisonous emissions from stoves - Research into integrating a wood or charcoal stove into building design

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