PHNOM PENH-Cambodia is fast-tracking its national energy transition, setting an ambitious goal to generate at least 70 percent of its domestic electricity from clean sources by 2030.
Speaking in a recorded address at Clean Energy Week on September 15, Minister of Mines and Energy H.E. Keo Rottanak revealed that renewable options, primarily hydropower and solar, already constitute over 63 percent of the country’s installed power capacity.
To ensure grid stability alongside this growth, the Ministry is prioritizing enhanced energy storage and system flexibility. Local developers are currently on track to bring over 1,100 megawatts of solar power online in a single development cluster by the end of the year, backed by 500 megawatts of battery storage.
Furthermore, the Asian Development Bank has greenlit funding for a 250-megawatt battery installation in Kampong Chhnang province, while work has officially launched on the massive 1,000-megawatt Upper Tatay Pumped Storage hydro initiative.
Minister Rottanak emphasized that scaling up green power is driven by economic necessity as much as climate responsibility. With global investors and supply chains closely scrutinizing energy costs, reliability, and carbon footprints, expanding dependable clean power will unlock broader industrial growth across the nation.
Australia, a founding sponsor of Clean Energy Week since 2018, continues to support these sustainable energy ambitions. Australian Ambassador H.E. Derek Yip noted that his government is partnering with local leaders and industry figures to improve energy planning, widen access to green finance, and build inclusive career paths in the sector, positioning Cambodia as a regional model for renewable energy adoption.