A new start for old mills

Project goal: Increase efficiency of traditional water mills in Nepal
Project volume: $400 to $1,000 per water mill
Project size: around 6,500 water mills have already been technically upgraded, several thousand more are planned
CO2 Reduction: around 4-6 tons of carbon dioxide per water mill each year
Duration: from 2003 until June of 2017

In Nepal, farmers have long depended on traditional water-powered mills, called Ghattas, to process rice and grains. But now the mills have been upgraded and modernized to make them greener and more energy-efficient so they can generate electricity, too. Nearly a fourth of the 25,000 traditional mills have already been revamped and each one can slash up to 6 tons of CO2 emissions a year. As Nepal modernizes and demand for energy continues to soar, the mills are growing in significance as an eco-friendly and reliable way to power towns, cities and villages. They could also prove to be a model for other Asian countries.

A film by Birgitta Schülke