Renewable energy policies for sustainable development in Cambodia

In line with sustainable development path, electrification with the aid of renewable energy resources is a key element for the developing countries. Cambodia with almost 85% rural population is one of the countries with high renewable energy resources but at the same time has a low installed capacity. In the context of this study, the potential and status of sustainable energy generation in Cambodia are studied in detail. The renewable energy policies, strategies and programs are investigated, and the implemented projects based on the determined policies are reviewed. Considering the existing governmental policy of enabling 70% of rural households to reach reliable electricity services by 2030, the renewable energy resources are found as the best option for rural electrification. The economic, regulatory, financial and institutional barriers are shown as the main cause of the significant deviation between the potential and installed capacity. It is essential to overcome the challenges in order to achieve a sustainable development in rural electrification in Cambodia.