Archives >> August 2008

Cambodia, Renewable Energy & Sustainable Development

Cambodia has considerably expended its electrics supply during late few decades. However, only twelve percent of total population has accessed to power grid while about ninety one percent of people living in rural area still lack of grid-based electricity service; in that, power generation serving in rural area remains under demands.

Since the country has been made a lot of progress with significant growth of GDP, Cambodia is considered as one of the lowest electrified countries with only about 50 kWh per year per capita. The cost of electricity accounts from 0.08 USD/kWh to 0.15 USD/kWh as distributed by government services and can be even much higher by small private power producers. They have also found some informal electric suppliers in some area in where they can offer inadequate electricity service to some households and communities in which the capacity starting from 30kW within three or four hours a day. The basic use of electricity is for lighting, TV or radio with very low consumption rate between 4 kWh and 6 kWh per month. Because of its less connectivity, lower standard quality, unreliable services and the augmentation of fuels, the cost of electricity energy comes up at very high price between 0.25 USD/kWh and 0.50 USD/kWh and its variation is up to more than 1.00 USD/kWh.

With the high cost of grid-line service generated by gasoline, diesel or crude oil generators, renewable energy system starts to play a significant role for reducing electricity gap between demand and supply for remote communities of this country. Off-grid renewable energy systems have competitively shown the reliability and comparability in providing electricity service to rural households. The contribution of electricity supply systems bring the substantial public and economics advantages to rural inhabitants including power for lighting, communication media, small electric motors, and provision of education and health care centers, etc. That is, biomass, photovoltaic and hydropower prove completely an environmental sustainability approaches for sustaining cost-effective rural development.

The Royal Government of Cambodia has set the goal to release 70% of rural population from electric poverty by 2030. Renewable energy resources will play a very important role in the development, and the resources have been identified throughout the country with a very large amount of energy comparing to the total demand of rural households and renewable energy technology would become a best alternatives since rural households are facing the high tariff of electricity and insufficient energy supply operated by conventional generators and car batteries.

These would lead to the question whether the renewable energy resources could lower the price of electricity for rural household. If yes, in which way or how can we decrease the cost? Does it sustainable? Let's see all together!