In 2024, Cambodia's electricity consumption reflects a diverse mix, but with significant reliance on fossil fuels. Fossil sources, including coal, provide more than half of Cambodia's electricity, with coal alone contributing just over 41%. Clean electricity, which includes hydropower and solar, accounts for almost a third of total consumption, with hydropower making up almost 25% and solar energy contributing close to 5%. Net imports, at nearly 27%, also play a substantial role in Cambodia's electricity consumption. This balance between domestic production and imports points to the need for continued focus on sustainable and self-reliant electricity generation strategies to reduce fossil dependency.
Is Electricity Growing in Cambodia?
Electricity consumption in Cambodia is on the rise, with the latest data showing significant growth from previous years. Consumption per person has increased to 1217 kWh in 2024, marking a notable rise of 134 kWh from 2023. However, clean electricity generation has seen a decline, with the 2024 figures showing 362 kWh per person compared to 401 kWh per person in 2022. This reduction of 39 kWh per person is concerning, as it highlights a decline in low-carbon generation even amidst increasing overall consumption. This trend is worrisome given the global climate goals that necessitate maximizing clean energy use to mitigate harmful environmental impacts of fossil fuels.
Suggestions
To enhance Cambodia's low-carbon electricity generation, the country can draw lessons from globally successful regions in the adoption of solar and nuclear energy. With Lebanon generating almost a third of its electricity from solar and France producing over two-thirds from nuclear, these examples showcase the potential of clean energy resources. Cambodia could explore similar paths by investing in large-scale solar projects to harness its abundant sunlight while evaluating opportunities to introduce nuclear power capabilities. This dual approach would help secure a sustainable and reliable energy future, reducing reliance on imports and fossil fuels, and aligning with environmental and economic objectives.
History
In the historical context, Cambodia's low-carbon electricity generation has been shaped primarily by hydropower and, more recently, solar energy. Throughout the early 2000s and up to the 2010s, hydro projects have steadily contributed to electricity growth, with notable expansions seen in 2012, 2013, and especially 2018. However, hydropower has experienced fluctuations, with declines recorded in 2019 and 2023. Solar energy has made modest but consistent gains since its introduction in 2019, steadily expanding up to 2024. To continuously support a robust clean energy portfolio, these trends highlight the need to diversify and enhance low-carbon production frameworks.
Electrification
We estimate the degree of electrification by comparing electricity and total energy emissions. More about methodology.