Himalayan Energy Transition Finance Fellowship

Powering Local Solutions for a Just and Resilient Energy Future in Nepal

The Himalayan Energy Transition Finance Fellowship is a non-partisan, solutions-driven fellowship program that equips students, young professionals, researchers, and emerging practitioners to design innovative financing mechanisms that can accelerate clean, affordable, climate-resilient, and socially just energy transitions across Nepal.

Fellows work in multidisciplinary teams to develop finance and implementation models tailored to the realities of Himalayan communities, municipalities, provinces, and underserved regions.

About the Fellowship

Nepal stands at a pivotal moment in its energy transition journey. The country possesses immense renewable energy potential—from hydropower and solar energy to micro-hydro, biomass, and emerging decentralized systems. Yet many communities, particularly in mountainous and remote regions, continue to face energy insecurity, infrastructure gaps, climate vulnerability, and limited access to investment capital.

At the same time, the Himalayan region faces intensifying climate risks including glacial melt, landslides, extreme weather events, ecosystem degradation, and unequal development impacts.

While renewable energy solutions exist, financing and implementation mechanisms often fail to adequately reach local governments, marginalized communities, cooperatives, indigenous peoples, and rural enterprises.

This fellowship addresses one central question:

How can Nepal design inclusive and locally grounded energy transition finance mechanisms that mobilize capital, reduce risk, strengthen resilience, and ensure that no community is left behind in the transition to sustainable energy?

What Fellows Will Do

Over the course of the fellowship, teams will:

• Select a Nepal-based municipality, province, watershed region, or Himalayan community as their case study

• Identify key local energy transition challenges and opportunities

• Analyze climate vulnerability, energy poverty, and infrastructure constraints

• Identify Just Transition risks, including ways that energy transitions may unintentionally exclude or disadvantage marginalized populations, indigenous communities, women, informal workers, or geographically isolated settlements

• Design an Energy Transition Finance Mechanism or Impact Facility capable of supporting initiatives such as:

  • Community solar systems

  • Microgrids and decentralized renewable energy

  • Climate-resilient rural electrification

  • Clean cooking and energy access initiatives

  • Productive-use energy systems for agriculture and livelihoods

  • Green mobility and electric transport systems

  • Resilient mountain infrastructure

  • Community-owned renewable energy cooperatives

  • Hybrid renewable systems for remote Himalayan communities

Fellowship Outputs

Each team will develop:

• A written Energy Transition Finance Proposal

• A concise investor and policy pitch presentation

• A stakeholder and governance framework

• A financing and blended capital strategy

• A Just Transition inclusion strategy

• Public–Private–Community Partnership scenarios

• (Optional) A pilot implementation roadmap or prototype model

What Fellows Will Learn

Participants gain hands-on experience in:

• Energy transition systems in developing economies

• Climate finance and blended finance mechanisms

• Public–private–community partnerships

• Sustainable infrastructure finance

• Just Transition frameworks

• Climate adaptation and resilience financing

• Local governance and provincial development planning

• Working within real-world policy, regulatory, geographic, and budget constraints

• Team-based systems thinking and adaptive problem solving

The fellowship includes workshops, mentorship sessions, peer learning circles, and practitioner dialogues with experts from energy, finance, development, governance, and climate sectors.

Who Can Join

The fellowship is open to:

• University students

• Graduate students and researchers

• Recent graduates

• Young professionals

• Early-career practitioners

Applicants may come from fields such as:

• Energy and engineering

• Economics and finance

• Public policy and governance

• Climate and environmental studies

• Development studies

• Urban and regional planning

• Architecture and infrastructure

• Social sciences and community development

Multidisciplinary teams are strongly encouraged.

No prior experience in energy finance is required. Curiosity, commitment, collaboration, and willingness to engage with complex real-world challenges matter most.

Fellowship Themes

Possible thematic tracks may include:

• Himalayan Climate Resilience Finance

• Community-Owned Renewable Energy

• Municipal Energy Transition Planning

• Inclusive Energy Access

• Green Mobility and Transport

• Climate Adaptation Infrastructure

• Indigenous and Local Knowledge for Energy Transitions

• Women-Led Energy Enterprises

• Energy Cooperatives and Social Enterprises

• Nature-Positive Infrastructure Financing

Awards & Opportunities

Outstanding fellows and teams may receive:

• Seed funding or pilot support opportunities

• Access to incubation and mentorship pathways

• Opportunities to present to municipalities, development agencies, investors, NGOs, and energy institutions

• Fellowship certificates and recognition as Himalayan Energy Transition Innovators

• Opportunities for cross-border collaboration across South Asia and Himalayan regions

Why Participate

By joining the fellowship, you will:

• Work on real energy transition challenges facing Nepal and the Himalayan region

• Build practical skills at the intersection of energy, climate, finance, governance, and development

• Collaborate with mentors, researchers, practitioners, and institutions shaping the future of sustainable energy

• Gain experience designing solutions grounded in local realities and community needs

• Help co-create pathways toward a more resilient, equitable, and climate-smart future

A Fellowship for the Himalayan Future

The Himalayan Energy Transition Finance Fellowship recognizes that the future of sustainable development in Nepal will depend not only on technology, but also on inclusive institutions, innovative financing, local participation, and community resilience.

The transition to clean energy must also be a transition toward greater equity, dignity, resilience, and opportunity for mountain communities and future generations.

Get Involved

Applications open soon.

Whether you are passionate about renewable energy, climate resilience, sustainable finance, community development, or public innovation, this fellowship is your opportunity to help shape Nepal’s just and inclusive energy future.

Apply | Partner With Us | Become a Mentor | Support a Fellowship Team

Practical Learning Materials:

Module 1: Introduction to Impact Investing

• Week 1: Fundamentals of Impact Investing

• Week 2: Impact Investing in the Energy Sector (video)

Module 2: Understanding the Energy Transition

• Week 3: Global Energy Transition Trends

• Week 4: Energy Policy and Regulation in Your Country (video)

Module 3: Identifying Investment Opportunities (video)

• Week 5: Market Analysis and Identifying Gaps (video)

• Week 6: Case Studies of Successful Impact Investments

Module 4: Designing an Impact First Investment Instrument

• Week 7: Structuring the Fund: Financial and Impact Goals

• Week 8: Defining the Investment Thesis and Criteria

Module 5: Organizational Analysis

• Week 9: Identifying Potential Fund Managers

• Week 10: Selecting a Potential Fund Manager in Your Region (video)

Module 6: Financial Modeling and Impact Measurement

• Week 11: Financial Modeling for Impact Investments (video)

• Week 12: Impact Measurement and Management Frameworks

Module 7: Legal and Ethical Considerations

• Week 13: Legal Structures and Compliance

• Week 14: Ethical Considerations in Impact Investing

Module 8: Preparing the Pitch

• Week 15: Developing a Compelling Pitch (video)

• Week 16: Final Preparations and Peer Review

Milestone Assignments:

Milestone 1: Country Energy Sector Analysis

• Description: Conduct a rapid review of the energy sector in your country, identifying key challenges and opportunities for impact investing.

• Format: 8-minute recorded video presentation.

• Submission Deadline: End of Week 4 (deadlines are extended proportionally for those taking the 2-semester format).

Milestone 2: Market Gap and Investment Opportunity Identification

• Description: Identify and analyze specific gaps in the energy market that present opportunities for impact investing.

• Format: 8-minute recorded video presentation.

• Submission Deadline: End of Week 6.

Milestone 3: Fund Structure and Investment Thesis

• Description: Develop a detailed structure for your impact first investment fund, including financial and impact goals, and define your investment thesis and criteria.

• Format: 8-minute recorded video presentation.

• Submission Deadline: End of Week 8.

Milestone 4: Organizational Analysis of a Potential Fund Manager

• Description: Conduct an in-depth analysis of a potential fund manager in your country or region, evaluating their capacity to manage the proposed fund. (video)

• Format: 8-minute recorded video presentation.

• Submission Deadline: End of Week 10.

Milestone 5: Financial Model and Impact Measurement Plan

• Description: Present a financial model for your fund and a detailed plan for measuring and managing impact. (video)

• Format: 8-minute recorded video presentation.

• Submission Deadline: End of Week 12.

Milestone 6: Final Pitch Presentation

• Description: Develop and deliver a final pitch presentation of your impact first investment fund to potential investors, incorporating all elements from previous milestones. (video)

• Format: 8-minute recorded video presentation.

• Submission Deadline: End of Week 16.

Course Resources:

• Readings: Selected academic papers, case studies, and industry reports.

• Tools: Financial modeling software, impact measurement frameworks, and online collaboration platforms.

• Support: Weekly office hours, discussion forums, and peer review sessions.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

1. Analyze the energy sector and identify impact investment opportunities.

2. Design a structured impact first investment fund.

3. Conduct organizational analysis to identify suitable fund managers.

4. Develop financial models and impact measurement plans.

5. Navigate legal and ethical considerations in impact investing.

6. Pitch an impact first investment fund effectively to potential investors.

This course will provide MBA students with a practical and comprehensive understanding of creating impactful investment instruments for advancing the energy transition in their countries.

Samples of Energy Impact Funds

Afterglow Climate Justice Fund

Manulife Global Clean Energy Equity Feeder Fund

Vanguard Energy Fund

Relevant Online Courses

https://www.coursera.org/learn/globalenergyandclimatepolicy/ 

Suggested Readings:

Henderson, Rebecca. "Reimaging Capitalism in a World on Fire." Journal of Markets & Morality 24.1 (2021): 222-226. 

Simon, Morgan. Real impact: The new economics of social change. Bold Type Books, 2017.