Clean energy makes up 62 per cent of power consumption in Cambodia

Phnom Penh – Cambodian Minister of Mines and Energy Keo Rattanak announced on November 21 that renewable or clean energy has accounted for more than 62 per cent of the country's total energy consumption.

Speaking at a forum on "Mine and Energy Policy in Cambodia", Rattanak said a number of countries have recognised Cambodia for its great achievements in shifting from reliance on fossil fuels to renewable energy.

The principle of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is that all member states should use 35 per cent of energy from renewable sources by 2030, the official noted.

But for Cambodia, as of 2022, the country had used more than 62 per cent of clean energy, Rattanak stressed, adding that over 40 per cent of the country’s clean energy comes from hydropower plants, more than 10 per cent from solar power, and the rest from biomass power and import from neighbouring Laos.

The minister said Cambodia currently is capable of producing energy of about 4,000 MW per year, but its annual consumption is about 2,400 MW only, so the country is considering exporting its energy to regional countries in the future.

Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen announced on July 26 that he will not retain his position in the next government.

Around 4,000 households in the southern region of Cambodia have been affected by heavy flooding caused by prolonged rains over the past few days.

The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) announced on September 6 that it has successfully auctioned 10 million USD in an effort to stabilise the Cambodian riel against the US dollar.