Energy in Cambodia

A coal-power plant in Stueng Hav District, Sihanoukville.

Cambodia had a total primary energy supply (TPES) of 5.48 Mtoe in 2012.[1] Electricity consumption was 3.06 TWh. About one third of the energy came from oil products and about two thirds from biofuels and waste.[1]

Cambodia has significant potential for developing renewable energy. In 2020, however, the country had no set renewable energy targets.[2] To attract more investment in renewable energy the country could adopt clear renewable energy targets, improve renewable energy governance and facilitate market entry for foreign investors.[2]

Along with other ASEAN member states, Cambodia remains one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change in the world; therefore, it is recommended that the country focuses on developing more renewable energy as part of climate change mitigation policies.[3]

Cambodia controls offshore oil reserves in the Gulf of Thailand; however, the only attempt to extract oil ended in the failure in 2021 of the Apsara field project after production did not meet expectations.[4]

Cambodia's domestic energy supply in 2021 was 9,255 GWh, with 44% hydro, 41% coal, 8% fuel oil, and 6% solar.[5]

Many rural communities are making use of solar power to access electricity. Cambodia had 305 MW of solar installed at the end of 2021, with seven grid-connected projects. Another 700 MW was planned or under construction.[5]

Cambodia could potentially base its energy system on 100% renewable energy, but this would require large investments, including in energy storage systems.[6]

  1. ^ a b "Cambodia". www.iea.org. International Energy Agency (IEA). Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  2. ^ a b Vakulchuk, Roman; Chan, Hoy-Yen; Kresnawan, Muhammad Rizki; Merdekawati, Monika; Øverland, Indra; Sagbakken, Haakon Fossum; Suryadi, Beni; Utama, Nuki Agya; Yurnaidi, Zulfikar (2020). "Thailand: Improving the Business Climate for Renewable Energy Investment". 3. ACE Policy Briefs (12). ASEAN Centre for Energy. doi:10.13140/RG.2.2.16512.66568. hdl:11250/2663930.
  3. ^ Overland, Indra; Sagbakken, Haakon Fossum; Chan, Hoy-Yen; Merdekawati, Monika; Suryadi, Beni; Utama, Nuki Agya; Vakulchuk, Roman (December 2021). "The ASEAN climate and energy paradox". Energy and Climate Change. 2: 100019. doi:10.1016/j.egycc.2020.100019. hdl:11250/2734506.
  4. ^ "Cambodia's oil export ambitions sink with "stolen" tanker standoff". Reuters. 27 August 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Cambodia's Mismatch of Solar Potential and Energy Harvesting". VOA. Retrieved 2022-11-20.
  6. ^ Handayani, Kamia; Overland, Indra; Suryadi, Beni; Vakulchuk, Roman (2023-11-01). "Integrating 100% renewable energy into electricity systems: A net-zero analysis for Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar". Energy Reports. 10: 4849–4869. doi:10.1016/j.egyr.2023.11.005. ISSN 2352-4847.