AEPC International Clean Energy Day Summit 2025: PAC and PEEDA showcase MECS collaborations towards scaling eCooking in Nepal

By Richard Sieff (MECS), Ankit Bhattarai (PAC), and Biraj Gautam (PEEDA)

At the ‘Energy Transition for a Resilient and Low Carbon Economy Summit 2025’ (Kathmandu, Jan 28^th), MECS partners Practical Action Consulting (PAC) and People, Energy & Environment Development Association (PEEDA) showcased the impact of their MECS funded research towards scaling electric cooking (eCooking) in Nepal. The event was organised by the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (the apex Government of Nepal agency for clean cooking) to mark International Clean Energy Day 2025 and drew key stakeholders together to explore the needs, opportunities, and challenges in the Nepali energy sector.

Both PAC and PEEDA reported keen interest in their MECS projects by attendees. The PAC team highlighted their work under the MECS Sparking the Supply Chain challenge fund; a collaboration with leading Nepali appliance supplier, Himstar, to drive electric pressure cooker (EPC) adoption in urban and peri-urban markets with an initial outreach target of 1,800 households. The interest in the work prompted attendees to suggest expanding the project to also reach communities in rural areas of Nepal. The PEEDA stand displayed their widely endorsed MECS Nepal eCookbook and EPC and induction stove repair manuals, the latter designed to support urgently needed local after sales services for eCooking appliances. The PEEDA team also exhibited a poster outlining how the 28 MECS research activities in Nepal since 2019 have contributed to the Government of Nepal’s national policy priority of scaling eCooking. The poster noted how MECS activities and accompanying training events and workshops have supported the development of in-country eCooking expertise, helping to equip practitioners and policymakers with valuable knowledge and insights on best practices in the sector.

The summit concluded with a seven point declaration, recognising: the urgent need for clean and just energy transitions; Nepal’s 2045 net zero carbon emissions target; and the importance of global cooperation to achieve climate goals via financial support, technology sharing, and capacity building (Click here for further details of the declaration). In support of these aims and the declaration, the slogan “Clean Energy Way! Resilient Economy Stay!!” (स्वच्छ ऊर्जा राम्रो! दिगो अर्थतन्त्र हाम्रो! in Nepali) was announced, emphasising the links between adopting clean energy today and future sustainable economic growth.

Alongside the declaration, the summit issued the following closing statement, signalling the Government’s ongoing prioritization of sustainable energy transitions.

“At The Energy Transition for a Resilience Low Carbon Economy Summit 2025 in Kathmandu Nepal, we reaffirm our commitment to sustainable development, tackling climate change and creating a low carbon economy through just and inclusive energy transition”.

MECS, PAC, and PEEDA look forward to continuing to collaborate and coordinate with the Government towards achieving these critical goals.

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Image 4, featured, top: The summit conclusion: delegates reaffirmed commitments to sustainable development, tackling climate change and creating a low carbon economy through just and inclusive energy transition (Image credit: PAC, 2025).