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Asian Development Bank

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Cambodia’s first utility-scale solar plant in the south east of the country is the first to tap into a powerful natural resource in Cambodia — sunshine.

The 10 megawatt solar power plant is located in Bavet, a special economic zone on the border of Vietnam, about 150 kilometers from the capital, Phnom Penh. Following an international tender, a consortium led by Singaporean company Sunseap built the plant and entered into a 20-year solar power purchase agreement with Electricité Du Cambodge, a state-owned utility. The solar plant has been providing around a quarter of the demand for nearby city Bavet since 2017 and is estimated to save around 5,500 tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually.

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TONS OF GHG EMISSIONS SAVED ANNUALLY

The local area has suffered from power shortages, but since the operation of the solar plant investments in the area have increased, promoting further development and providing employment opportunities for local communities.

ADB’s Private Sector Operations Department provided a debt financing package of $9.2 million for the project. The package included co-financing from a private sector financial institution and a concessional loan from the Canadian Climate Fund for the Private Sector in Asia (CFPS).

The project is the first utility-scale solar power plant in Cambodia (photo by ADB).

The Challenge

Bavet, and Cambodia more broadly, has historically relied on fossil fuels and hydropower for energy, despite great untapped potential for solar power.

Co-Benefits

Economic Since the solar plant started generating power, investments in the local economic zone have increased, promoting development in the area.

Social The solar project has improved the reliability of Cambodia’s power supply and has led to the creation of green jobs.