The data released by Cambodia's national power company in mid July caught the attention of the Southeast Asian energy industry. At present, the national power supply capacity is about 6300 megawatts, and the installed capacity of renewable energy is about 4000 megawatts, accounting for 63% of the total installed capacity. Among them, solar energy has officially become the main source of electricity in the country, accounting for 30%. This country, which used to heavily rely on imported electricity, is rewriting its energy script.

63% renewable energy installed capacity

By 2025, the installed capacity of solar energy in Cambodia will be about 1.5GW. After multiple large power stations are put into operation in 2026, it will approach 1.87GW. If the 930 MW Chheu Tom solar energy complex is completed, it can exceed 2GW. The overall plan for Cambodia's power development originally planned a photovoltaic installed capacity of 1GW by 2030, but this goal has been exceeded many years in advance.

Hydropower, biomass energy, and rapidly expanding photovoltaics together constitute 63% of the clean energy landscape. The General Manager of Cambodia State Power Company stated that with this proportion, Cambodia has been regarded as one of the leading countries in global clean energy supply.

Energy storage supporting acceleration

The volatility of photovoltaics requires energy storage to balance it. In June 2026, the Asian Development Bank approved a $63.44 million financing plan to support the construction of a 250 MW/500 MWh grid connected battery energy storage system in the province of Chajiao, which is expected to reduce approximately 27700 tons of carbon emissions annually.

The system adopts grid type inverter technology, which can store green electricity, smooth out fluctuations, and participate in grid frequency regulation and stable services. Cambodia is one of the few ASEAN countries that has achieved the goal of exceeding the planned photovoltaic installation capacity. The solar street light plan has been launched simultaneously, and efficient solar street lights will be installed on over 1000 kilometers of roads in 13 provinces across the country. Keywords: solar energy, new energy, renewable energy

Starting from an installed capacity of 6300 megawatts, Cambodia is moving towards the goal of 70% renewable energy by 2030.Editor/Cheng Liting