Samir Thapa

Dr. Samir Thapa is a MECS Research Associate with expertise in sustainable energy systems and development economics. He holds a PhD in Business from Charles Sturt University (Australia), an M.Sc. in Energy Systems and Management from Flensburg University (Germany), and a B.E. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Bangalore University (India). His career spans UNDP-led sustainable mini-grid projects in rural Nepal, climate finance unit establishment at Nepal's Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC), and clean energy research with Winrock International and academic institutions like Duke University.

Research Interests: Focuses on renewable energy financing, energy access equity, and socio-economic impacts of clean energy technologies. Specializes in non-market valuation techniques, panel data analysis, and mixed-method research approaches to assess gender-inclusive energy policies and decentralized energy systems.

Awards: Recipient of DAAD scholarship for his Masters and Australia Awards-funded PhD. Active in professional networks including the Australasian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society (AARES) and South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics (SANDEE).

Advisory & Collaboration: Pioneered biogas sector expansion in Nepal through academic partnerships. Managed projects addressing energy access, productive end-use systems, and social inclusion in energy transitions.

Labs/Teams: Core contributor to AEPC's Climate and Carbon Finance Unit, fostering linkages between renewable energy innovation and climate mitigation strategies.