Bhutan ice battery

Can Solar Water Heaters increase energy consumption in Bhutan?

Increases in energy eficiency can help shape and decrease energy demand, thus facilitating renewable energy uptake. Heating is a major source of energy consumption in Bhutan and eforts have been made to encourage the uptake of solar water heaters.

How can energy pricing improve energy eficiency in Bhutan?

Reforms to energy pricing can help level the playing field for renewable energy technologies, thus incentivising their uptake in both on-grid and of-grid settings. In the specific case of Bhutan, improving energy eficiency is a fundamental and cost-efective first step towards integration of renewables in all sectors.

Should Bhutan diversify its energy sources?

In the face of climate change and the need for enhanced energy security, the business case for Bhutan to diversify its energy sources, especially by tapping into alternative renewable energy, is compelling. Bhutan is yet to realize its full potential in terms of renewable energy.

Could hydropower be the future of energy in Bhutan?

While hydropower is likely to remain an important component of the energy sector and economy of Bhutan, renewable energy technologies such as solar PV, wind, bioenergy and small hydropower could ofer opportunities to diversify the country’s energy mix and help address rising energy demand.

What is Bhutan's national energy eficiency and conservation policy?

Bhutan’s “National energy eficiency and conservation policy” delineates a comprehensive set of energy eficiency and energy conservation measures for all sectors (DRE–MOEA, 2017). A concerted efort toward comprehensive implementation of these measures is an essential first step towards a sustainable energy system.

Does Bhutan have an electrification rate?

Over the past decades, Bhutan has ambitiously pursued electrification, especially in rural communities. As a result, the country has achieved a commendable 99.9 percent electrification rate. This has helped shift fuel consumption for cooking, lighting, and heating away from biomass and fossil-based fuels to electricity.