Kathmandu, Jan 22 (IANS): China has donated over 32,000 sets of solar power generation systems to Nepal to enhance its domestic capacity in combating climate change.

The donated items included 32,000 sets of household solar power generation system (10Wp) and 325 sets of solar power generation system (1200Wp), battery, controller, LED bulb and case that included status indicator and system cable, Xinhua news agency reported.

Speaking at a ceremony here on Sunday, Ram Prasad Lamsal, joint secretary at Nepal's Ministry of Population and Environment, expressed gratitude to the Chinese government for the support.

"The support provided by China is instrumental to addressing the problems of environment and climate change. It will also benefit our people from the perspective of health and saving time," Lamsal said.

The Nepalese government said the sets will be distributed by the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) in the districts highly affected by a devastating earthquake in 2015.

The beneficiary districts were Sindhupalchowk, Kavrepalanchowk, Nuwakot, Dhading and Lamjung where many villages were yet to be connected to the national electricity grid.

Ram Prasad Dhital, executive director at AEPC, said that "the bigger power generation systems with high power will be used for the community schools, health centres and local government offices while the low power systems will be used for the households in cluster areas."

Peng Wei, economic and commercial counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Nepal, attended the handing over ceremony.

The distribution is expected to start soon after completing the technical arrangements.