POKHARA, August 15: Mustang district has started generating electricity from wind, tapping in the potential which the mountainous district holds due to high air current. 

Electricity generated from wind has been used for lighting and conducting other electrical appliances at the District Police Office (DPO) in the test phase. Despite the high potential the district holds from wind energy, the government is yet to start commercial production of electricity from wind.

As much as 3 KW of electricity has been produced from a two-turbine generator installed by Buddha Power Company (BPC). As informed by Pushpa Raj Timalsina, founder of BPC, electricity produced from wind and sun is being used for charging batteries and to run other electric appliances.

"We have installed a hybrid wind-solar machine which is charged by both sun and wind," Timalsina said. Different machines convert the energy from sun and wind which is used for charging batteries. Currently, wind power has been used for operating two computers, fan and lights at the DPO.

Earlier, BPC had also introduced a technology which informed about weather condition. "We have provided the service to DPO for free just to demonstrate our potential to the government," said Timalsina. According to him, it is possible to light 300 bulbs of 10 watts and 600 bulbs of 5 watts with 3 KW wind energy.

"In the beginning, it was hard for people to accept that energy can be created from wind but later we proved them that it is possible," said Timalsina. 

Timalsina's team had submitted a proposal to KP Sharma Oli-led government showing the possibilities of wind energy in Mustang. 

"We can heat up the rooms of all locals in the next 10 years by producing 40 MW electricity from wind," he said. According to him, the project will cost around Rs 7 million. If the government is ready for the project, BPC said it is ready to provide technical support.

Earlier in 1988, wind energy was produced in Kagbeni of Mustang. However, it didn't last for long as  high speed of wind had broken the wind turbine.

 
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