Energy and environmental implications of carbon emission reduction targets: Case of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Shrestha, Ram M.; Rajbhandari, Salony

doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2009.11.088

Cited by 63 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…The paper indicates that there is a need of switching energy consumption from oil and gas to electricity [10]. With regard to CO 2 emission measures, Feng and Zhang have studied urban energy saving and carbon abatement policies in Beijing.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Urban Energy Scenario: the Case of Kathmandu Valley

Shrestha

Sartohadi

Ridwan

et al. 2017

J. Eng. Technol. Sci.

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Abstract. Rapid urbanization has made Kathmandu Valley one of the fastest growing metropolitan cities in South Asia, resulting in the need of additional facilities and infrastructure. The local energy crisis is one of the issues to be addressed. High dependence on imported fossil fuels and the sluggish development of hydropower for electricity generation despite abundant water resources are the major causes to be blamed for the energy crisis in Nepal. This study investigated possible strategies to be implemented in Kathmandu Valley to deal with the discrepancy between energy demand and supply. Several scenarios have been developed and analyzed, both quantitatively and qualitatively. The Comprehensive Scenario, which borrowed from all other developed scenarios, seems superior to the others. It reduces the energy demand by 32.36%, the GHG emission by 44.12%, and the social cost by 33.79%. This scenario implies that the Kathmandu Valley authority will support the installation of photovoltaic solar panels, the use of electric vehicles and electric cookers, and convert solid waste into energy. However, the EV Scenario (electric vehicles) is the one to be given priority in the implementation for its better performance than the other individual scenarios. Based on the reviews of background and current problems in Kathmandu Valley, the following objectives have been set: 1) to identify variables that may influence energy consumption behavior, 2) to determine energy consumption patterns, 3) to develop scenarios based on the current situation and available resources, 4) to investigate and analyze how the energy system may evolve over time and to propose the best energy scenario for Kathmandu Valley. Keywords Literature ReviewThe issue of energy is always an interesting topic in the sustainable development debate. Study of the relationship between energy and lifestyle started during 1970s in the United States. Sanquist, et al. have statistically examined the relationship between energy consumption and lifestyle factors and found that lifestyle accounts for 40% variation in energy consumption [4]. The inclusion of human behavior was expected to enhance the establishment of energy policies. Age has been studied as a factor that plays an important role in determining energy consumption patterns in households. Toth, et al. have found that young children and teenagers have significantly different energy consumption patterns [5]. The application of scenario analysis in the field of energy planning and management is one of the emerging fields in response to energy crises and security. Scenarios can be built and then compared to assess their energy requirements, social costs and benefits, and environmental impacts [6]. The result of an energy scenario analysis may not give an exact picture of Data Collection and Sampling MethodThis research involved a series of surveys concerning different aspects of energy consumption in urban areas and alternative energy sources. The primary data were obtained through interviews and questionnai...

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Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Urban Energy Scenario: the Case of Kathmandu Valley

Shrestha

Sartohadi

Ridwan

et al. 2017

J. Eng. Technol. Sci.

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“…The Kathmandu Valley is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the foothills of the Hindu Kush Himalayas, which has a significant reliance on fossil fuels and biofuels. In 2005, fossil fuel burning accounted for 53 % of total energy consumption in the Kathmandu Valley, while biomass and hydroelectricity were 38 and 9 %, respectively (Shrestha and Rajbhandari, 2010). Fossil fuel consumed in the Kathmandu Valley accounts for 32 % of the country's fossil fuel imports, and the major fossil fuel consumers are the residential (53.17 %), transport (20.80 %), industrial (16.84 %), and commercial (9.11 %) sectors.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal and diurnal variations in methane and carbon dioxide in the Kathmandu Valley in the foothills of the central Himalayas

Mahata

Panday

Rupakheti³

et al. 2017

Atmos. Chem. Phys.

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Abstract. The SusKat-ABC (Sustainable Atmosphere for the Kathmandu Valley-Atmospheric Brown Clouds) international air pollution measurement campaign was carried out from December 2012 to June 2013 in the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding regions in Nepal. The Kathmandu Valley is a bowl-shaped basin with a severe air pollution problem. This paper reports measurements of two major greenhouse gases (GHGs), methane (CH 4 ) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), along with the pollutant CO, that began during the campaign and were extended for 1 year at the SusKat-ABC supersite in Bode, a semi-urban location in the Kathmandu Valley. Simultaneous measurements were also made during 2015 in Bode and a nearby rural site (Chanban) ∼ 25 km (aerial distance) to the southwest of Bode on the other side of a tall ridge. The ambient mixing ratios of methane (CH 4 ), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), water vapor, and carbon monoxide (CO) were measured with a cavity ring-down spectrometer (G2401; Picarro, USA) along with meteorological parameters for 1 year (March 2013-March 2014. These measurements are the first of their kind in the central Himalayan foothills. At Bode, the annual average mixing ratios of CO 2 and CH 4 were 419.3 (±6.0) ppm and 2.192 (±0.066) ppm, respectively. These values are higher than the levels observed at background sites such as Mauna Loa, USA (CO 2 : 396.8 ± 2.0 ppm, CH 4 : 1.831 ± 0.110 ppm) and Waliguan, China (CO 2 : 397.7 ± 3.6 ppm, CH 4 : 1.879 ± 0.009 ppm) during the same period and at other urban and semi-urban sites in the region, such as Ahmedabad and Shadnagar (India). They varied slightly across the seasons at Bode, with seasonal average CH 4 mixing ratios of 2.157 (±0.230) ppm in the pre-monsoon season, 2.199 (±0.241) ppm in the monsoon, 2.210 (±0.200) ppm in the post-monsoon, and 2.214 (±0.209) ppm in the winter season. The average CO 2 mixing ratios were 426.2 (±25.5) ppm in the pre-monsoon, 413.5 (±24.2) ppm in the monsoon, 417.3 (±23.1) ppm in the postmonsoon, and 421.9 (±20.3) ppm in the winter season. The maximum seasonal mean mixing ratio of CH 4 in winter was only 0.057 ppm or 2.6 % higher than the seasonal minimum during the pre-monsoon period, while CO 2 was 12.8 ppm or 3.1 % higher during the pre-monsoon period (seasonal maximum) than during the monsoon (seasonal minimum). On the other hand, the CO mixing ratio at Bode was 191 % higher during the winter than during the monsoon season. The enhancement in CO 2 mixing ratios during the pre-monsoon season is associated with additional CO 2 emissions from forest fires and agro-residue burning in northern South Asia in addition to local emissions in the Kathmandu Valley. Published CO/CO 2 ratios of different emission sources in Nepal and India were compared with the observed CO/CO 2 ratios in this study. This comparison suggested that the major sources in the Kathmandu Valley were residential cooking and vehicle exhaust in all seasons except winter. In winter, brick kiln emissions were a major source. Simultaneous measurements in Bode and Chanban (15 July-3 O...

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“…In the Kathmandu Valley, other causes of air pollution include burning of fossil fuels to drive vehicles, burning fuels in the industries and factories, using high carbon content fuels (2%), geographical configuration, and forest fires [7][8][9]. Another cause of air pollution was vehicles that were not regularly maintained; 23% of vehicles produced greenhouse gases higher than the standard set [8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Carbon Dioxide Emissions by the Transportation Sector and Its Impact on Health in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Shrestha¹,

Shrestha²,

Shrestha³

2017

JCEA

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Air pollution is one of the leading cause of death for underdeveloped as well as developed countries. In 2011, the air pollution was the second leading cause of death in one of the main hospitals of the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, and it was the third leading cause in the United States. Burning fossil fuels for transportation was one of the major causes. Among various impacts of the air pollution, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) was one of the main consequences. In the 570 km 2 Kathmandu Valley, vehicle registration was increased from 45,871 in 1990/1991 to 570,145 in 2010/2011, an increase of over 12-fold over 20 years. The vehicle registration and number of COPD patients' data were collected from various government divisions. In addition, the average daily travel distance and fuel mileage data were collected with a survey with residents of the Kathmandu Valley. This paper calculates the amount of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions by transportation sector and determines correlation between CO 2 emissions and COPD patients. Results show that there was a very high level of CO 2 emissions, and it was positively correlated with the number of COPD patients in the valley.

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Energy and environmental implications of carbon emission reduction targets: Case of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Cited by 63 publications

References 8 publications

Urban Energy Scenario: the Case of Kathmandu Valley

Urban Energy Scenario: the Case of Kathmandu Valley

Seasonal and diurnal variations in methane and carbon dioxide in the Kathmandu Valley in the foothills of the central Himalayas

Carbon Dioxide Emissions by the Transportation Sector and Its Impact on Health in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

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