Note: This document should be read in conjunction with the CleanStart global programme document.

Nepal is one of the candidate countries for CleanStart in Asia, pre-identified as having relatively the most developed microfinance and energy markets - which create an enabling environment for the programme‘s success. A scoping assessment was conducted in Nepal to finalise the country selection and detail out the country-specific business plan.

CleanStart will invest US$1,300,000 over a period of four years (2012-2015) to develop replicable business models for scaling up microfinance for cleaner and more efficient forms of energy for poor people. By end of programme, more than 150,000 low-income households and micro-entrepreneurs (or 600,000 beneficiaries) will have access to modern energy.