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Let me share what I learned from investing in renewable energy. As a student in Nepal, I see both the good and the bad aspects of this topic. My interest in it started last year when my village installed its first solar panels and saw how they changed people's lives. Renewable energy comes from resources that are naturally replenished and never run out, like the sun, wind, and water. Already, the people of Nepal derive electricity from rivers, which is called hydroelectricity. Our country is really lucky because many fast-flowing rivers come down the mountains, there are lots of sunny days, and there is good wind in many areas. There are many good things about renewable energy. Another main advantage is that it will save money in the future. We tend to spend a lot of money on the installation process for making solar panels or wind turbines. After that, we don't have to spend too much money since the sun and the wind are free! In my village, some families were able to get solar panels last year. Previously, they spent Rs. 1000 per month on kerosene, but now they don't have to spend a single rupee to light up their homes. One family sends their daughter for extra tuition classes with the money they save.

Our environment gets better with renewable energy, too. Our mountains are getting less snowy due to climate change. Using renewable energy gives off less pollution compared to burning coal or oil. This in turn cleans our air and perhaps slows down the melting of our glaciers. When my grandfather was young, he could see the mountains from Kathmandu very clearly. Now, because of pollution, we can rarely see them. Renewable energy might give us back the clear mountain views. Renewable energy helps a great deal in remote villages of Nepal. There are so many places which still do not have regular electricity. For the first time now, they could also study at night with solar panels and charge their phones. My cousin lives in a very remote village where they have installed solar panels in every house. Now, children can study after dark; grown-up people can charge their phones to talk to family members working abroad; women needn't collect firewood every day, as they are already using electric cookers.

Renewable energy is also creating several jobs. Many workers are needed to install and repair renewable energy equipment. After a small training course, many people get work for the installation of solar panels. My neighbour's son was not getting any job even after finishing school. After taking a three-month course in the installation of solar panels, he got a good job. Another big advantage of renewable energy is that it makes Nepal more independent. Our country spends a fortune buying fuel from other countries. As the government reports have shown, last year alone, Nepal spent Rs. 150 billion on fuel! That money could build lots of new schools or hospitals. When there was a shortage of fuel a few years ago, many vehicles could not ply the road, and cooking gas became very expensive. If we had more renewable energy, such problems would bother us less.

However, there are some problems, too. The biggest problem is the high starting cost. A good solar panel system for one house costs about Rs. 100,000. Many families can't pay this much at once. Sometimes, the government pays part of the price, but it is also expensive for ordinary people. Now in some villages, villagers solve this problem by making community solar systems where many families share the cost and the electricity. The weather can also be a factor. At times, the sun will be partly shaded by cloud cover, or it simply may not be a very windy day. In areas where the rainy monsoon season is prevalent, solar panels do not work as effectively. We can overcome this with batteries to store excess power, but batteries mean extra expense. Some villages combine solar and hydropower to overcome this issue. Numbers help us understand it even more. A normal family spends around Rs. 2000 per month for electricity in Kathmandu. This family can get solar panels for Rs. 150,000 with a minimum working span of 15 years. After 6-7 years, this family starts saving money. Now, many banks have also given special loans for the installation of renewable energy systems with low interest rates.

Nepal is rich in sunlight, wind, and rivers. Instead of paying for fuel from aboard, we should use these free resources. Every year it gets a little better and cheaper. Ten years ago, solar panels were twice as expensive as today. Many countries are beginning to shift toward renewable resources. If Nepal doesn't do this too, we might fall behind. Experts say most new electricity that will be added in Nepal in the next decade will come from renewable sources. That, if anything, is good news for the future of our country. The sooner we invest in renewable energy, the cleaner the air, the more money saved not too far in the future, and the more the people in remote villages will live better lives. I feel that renewable energy is an investment worth being made by a young Nepali like me; as a matter of fact, it is so important for our future