Harnessing Renewable Energy for Clean Heating in the Himalaya (HEARTH Project)

About the event

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), in collaboration with the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) and implementation partner Practical Action (PA), with funding support from the Clean Air Fund (CAF), has planned to organise the inception meeting for the ‘Harnessing Renewable Energy for Clean Heating in the Himalaya (HEARTH)’ project on 10 August 2026. This project aims to reduce black carbon emissions and indoor air pollution in Nepal’s high-altitude regions by piloting renewable, non-biomass space-heating solutions in households and institutions.

The event will bring together representatives from national and sub-national governments, the private sector, development partners, academia, civil society organisations, and other relevant stakeholders to discuss opportunities and challenges related to clean heating in Himalayan communities. It will serve as a platform to introduce the HEARTH project, share its objectives and proposed interventions, present findings from preliminary assessments, and foster dialogue and collaboration among key stakeholders. The event will also provide an opportunity to gather inputs and strengthen partnerships to support the effective implementation and scaling of renewable energy-based clean heating solutions in the Himalayan region.

Objectives

The specific objectives of the workshop are to:

• Introduce formally the HEARTH project, its rationale, objectives, approach and expected outcomes to key national and sub-national stakeholders.
• Facilitate multistakeholder dialogue and gather feedback, insights, and recommendations to inform effective project implementation.
• Strengthen collaboration and coordination among government agencies, development partners, private sector actors, and local stakeholders in support of the project’s goals.

Expected outcomes

• Shared understanding among key stakeholders of the HEARTH project’s objectives, scope, implementation approach, and expected outcomes.
• Generate valuable feedback and recommendations from government agencies, development partners, private sector representatives, and local stakeholders to inform project implementation.
• Strengthen stakeholder engagement and collaboration, fostering an enabling environment for the successful delivery of project activities.

Background

In Nepal’s high-altitude regions, prolonged cold conditions make space heating a necessity for households and institutions. Although Nepal has achieved near universal electricity access (99.1%), household space heating needs are still predominantly met using biomass and derivatives, resulting in indoor air pollution and black carbon (BC) emissions that contribute to climate change.

In this context, ICIMOD, in collaboration with the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) and Practical Action (PA), with support from the Clean Air Fund (CAF), is implementing HEARTH (Harnessing Renewable Energy for Clean Heating in the Himalaya). The project adopts a systems-based and market-oriented approach to promote the uptake of non-biomass based renewable space heating solutions in households and institutions in Mustang. Through technology demonstrations, stakeholder engagement, capacity strengthening, and targeted policy support, HEARTH aims to generate evidence on the feasibility, acceptability, and benefits of clean heating solutions, while informing future policy, investment, and scale-up efforts.