Solar energy in Cambodia is becoming an increasingly important part of the country’s long-term energy and climate change mitigation strategy. Solar power in Cambodia currently only makes up around 7% of the country’s energy mix, significantly lagging behind hydropower and non-renewable sources.
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Cambodia''s largest single renewable energy facility is the Sesan-II hydropower power plant located in northeast Cambodia. The facility is built on the Se San River, a major tributary to the Mekong River, and has a total energy capacity of 400 MW.
As trends of rapid economic and electricity growth are projected to continue far into the next decade, Cambodia must find new sources of electricity generation that are abundant, secure, affordable and environmentally sustainable.
Solar energy in Cambodia is becoming an increasingly important part of the country''s long-term energy and climate change mitigation strategy. Solar power in Cambodia currently only makes up around 7% of the country''s energy mix, significantly lagging behind hydropower and non-renewable sources.
Cambodia''s grid-scale solar development started with just a 10 MW pilot in 2017. Today, nine solar power plants are connected to the national grid and are capable of producing up to 444 megawatts (MW), according to the
Solar power has numerous benefits that extend far beyond the borders of Cambodia to other countries and regions facing similar energy challenges. One of the biggest advantages of solar power worldwide is its environmentally friendly nature.
Solar Energy in Cambodia Cambodia has many problems especially around both electricity generation and its supply which is both unreliable and expensive as consumer demand is rising but often (2020) droughts cut hydroelectric generation and Cambodia depends on imports from its neighbouring countries.
Cambodia''s primary power sources are hydroelectricity (~48%) and coal (~47%). Coal is bad and 3/4 of the hydropower literarily dries during dry season. This leaves Cambodian residences with frequent power outages during peak use.
Solar power capacity has been on a sharp ascent in Cambodia recently, increasing at a 10% annual rate from less than 1% of national generation capacity, however. Some 400-MW of solar-fueled power capacity is now connected to the national grid,
However, considering the country’s historical energy mix, the existing solar capacity appears positive. As of 2011, Cambodia had no solar power plants, and solar energy was not a part of the country’s energy mix. Cambodia’s current installed solar capacity is slightly over 400 MW, but the country is targeting 3.1 GW by 2040.
Overall, solar accounted for 6.36% of Cambodia’s energy mix in 2021, according to data from the EDC. The country’s total installed capacity totaled 376.8 MW in 2021. In 2020, there were 296.80 MW of solar installed, representing 3.38% of the energy mix.
With these opportunities in mind, the government has set ambitious targets for expanding solar energy in Cambodia, aiming to inject 2 GW of solar energy into the grid by 2030. This goal is supported by a range of policies designed to facilitate the growth of the solar sector, including incentives for investment and development.
The southeast Asian country is currently applying a monthly capacity fee on rooftop PV systems and the government may halve it in an effort to spur more solar installs. Several more hurdles, however, should be removed to ensure further growth. Cambodia's total installed PV capacity totaled 376.8 MW at the end of 2021. Image: shankar s./Flickr
Cambodia has one of the highest solar energy potentials in the region. The country plans to significantly scale up capacity in the coming decades to strengthen the energy grid and reach its net-zero emissions goals.
According to the regulations introduced by the Electricity Authority of Cambodia (EAC) in 2018, rooftop PV system owners cannot access cheaper off-peak energy at nighttime nor may they export excess solar electricity to the grid. Furthermore, solar is capped at 50% of the contracted load, and systems built prior to the regulations cannot operate.
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