One of the promising traits of solar energy in Cambodia is its cost. The average electricity price for solar power is around USD 0.03 per kW, significantly lower than that of coal, which is USD 7.7 per kW.
Scores of seven solar photovoltaic (PV) projects are in the pipeline for construction and planned for operation by 2023. The Cambodian government aims to generate 20 percent of energy from renewable energy. This is our guide to Solar Energy in Cambodia.
Solar energy in Cambodia is the country’s second most promising clean energy source behind hydropower. Hydropower remains Cambodia’s most developed renewable energy source but also has its own challenges – such as yearly variability due to droughts and floods.
According to the Ministry of Mines and Energy, Cambodia aims to have seven solar power plants in operation by the end of 2023, adding an additional 495 MW to the energy supply, which represents 20 percent of the total energy supply. In late October, Minister of Mines and Energy Suy Sem pledged to end new approvals for coal-fired power plants.
Approximately one third of a million households, or 8.4% of overall Cambodian households, are currently using off-grid or micro-grid solar (Cambodia Socio-Economic Survey). In 2016, there wasn’t a single solar plant in the country.
The cost of a floating solar project in Cambodia is estimated to be approximately $0.045 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). This is significantly cheaper than the cost per kWh for electricity from a new dam or coal plant.