Kingdom to add more 720MW from solar sources this year
Kingdom to add more 720MW from solar sources this year
Cambodia is leaping its track in transition to clean energy, with solar farms set to double their electricity this year to the national grid.
A report from the Electricity Authority of Cambodia (EAC) showed that solar farms are set to generate approximately 720MW of electricity this year to the grid, an increase from 827MW generated in 2024.
The government is boosting building new energy plant projects to generate clean energy for the grid, said Keo Rattanak, Minister of Mines and Energy.
The projects will increase Cambodia’s share of clean energy generation capacity to 70 percent by 2030 from more than 62 percent at present, Rattanak said.
“Comparing Cambodia with other countries in the region, excluding Laos, if we can produce 70 percent by 2030, Cambodia will be ranked second among the 10 ASEAN countries with the highest clean energy, and this clean energy will provide many benefits in other areas,” he said in an annual meeting held last week.
The expansion of solar power is in line with the Cambodian Government’s policy to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Since 2019, the government has ceased issuing licenses to new coal-fired power plant projects.
The main sources of renewable energy are hydropower, solar energy and biomass energy. The country also buys electricity from neighbouring countries, especially during the dry season.
Based on the Power Development Master Plan (PDP) 2022-2040, the Royal Government announced that there would be no more investment in coal power plants after 2024, and renewable energy would play a significant role towards Cambodia’s transition to clean energy.
The Royal Government last September approved 23 power investment projects with an energy capacity of 5,950MW, to address the shortage of energy sources.
Cambodia’s total installed electricity capacity amounted to 5,044MW last year, up 8.5 percent from 4,649MW in 2023,
In 2025, EAC plans to increase power sources to 6,044MW, increasing from 5,044 in 2024.
According to the report, other power sources to be connected to the national grid in 2025 including 1,796 MW will be from hydropower plants, 49MW from biomass power, 1430MW from coal-fired power plants, 400 MW from fuel-fired power plants, and 822MW will be imported from neighbouring countries –Thailand, Vietnam and Laos.
Source ៖ Khmer Times