Cambodia & Initiative : Clean Energy Week aims to showcase the Kingdom's tangible progress in this field

Clean Energy Week 2024 (CEW), the most important event in this sector in Cambodia, kicked off in Phnom Penh yesterday morning.

In keeping with this year's theme ‘Ambition in Action: Cambodia's Clean Energy Future’, a week-long series of events, discussions and exhibitions will highlight Cambodia's growing leadership in clean energy innovation, economic growth and the fight against climate change.

Representatives from Cambodia, Australia and the UNDP opened the week of upcoming activities.

‘The week comes at a crucial time for Cambodia, as clean energy has become a national priority under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun Manet and the Seventh Term Government,’ explains the press release from Australian non-profit EnergyLab.

‘Through forward-thinking policies and strategic investment, Cambodia is laying the foundations for a more sustainable and prosperous future,’ the statement said.

Australia's ambassador to Cambodia, Derek Yip, also praised the importance of the programme.

‘Australia is proud to be a founding partner of Clean Energy Week, supporting the event since its launch in 2018. At the time, the challenges of harnessing clean energy for Southeast Asia's future seemed immense. But today, clean energy is not just a topic of discussion, but a central pillar of Cambodia's vision for economic growth, energy security and environmental management,’ he said.

According to the organisers, clean energy is developing worldwide at an unprecedented rate. In 2023, the world achieved the fastest rate of renewable energy deployment on record, doubling global renewable capacity, while global sales of electric cars also increased by 35 per cent to around 14 million.

This increase is due to the significant drop in the cost of wind, solar, batteries and electric vehicles over the past decade.

According to the press release, Cambodia is extremely well placed to benefit from this dynamic, with at least 65 GW of solar potential and 5 GW of wind potential. With programmes such as the doubling of the country's solar energy ambitions, the cancellation of the Koh Kong coal-fired power project and the launch of Cambodia's electric vehicle roadmap, the country is poised to become a leader in clean energy.

‘Cambodia's commitment to building solar, wind and electric vehicles demonstrates a clear commitment to reducing Cambodia's dependence on fossil fuels and tackling climate change,’ said Natharoun Ngo Son, Country Director of EnergyLab.

‘The next challenge is to ensure that we maximise the benefits of the transition to renewable energy for Cambodia - ensuring that we create thousands of jobs, support local businesses and ensure that the voices of the community are heard when projects are developed,’ he added.

Clean Energy Week 2024 aims to ‘amplify’ this progress, enabling stakeholders to share new ideas, discuss policy solutions and forge partnerships. The week's programme will focus on key issues in Cambodia's transition to clean energy, such as improving access to energy, stimulating economic growth and meeting national climate targets.

The centrepiece of the week is the Clean Energy Summit, taking place in Phnom Penh from 31 October to 1 November. It brings together political decision-makers, business leaders, financial institutions and international partners for strategic discussions that will shape Cambodia's clean energy future.

UNDP Resident Representative Alissar Chaker said:

‘Embracing clean energy is not just an ideological position. It is a driver for energy security, green business dividends and job creation, access to green finance and pollution reduction. Development partners play a crucial role in supporting Cambodia's clean energy ambitions and turning them into reality. It is with this intention that UNDP has supported Clean Energy Week since its inception in 2018 as a founding partner.’

The week is organised by EnergyLab Cambodia, in partnership with the Ministry of Mines and Energy, and in collaboration with the co-founders, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, UNDP; in addition to the co-founders, CAPRED and the New Zealand Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The week's organisers hope that Clean Energy Week will continue to put Cambodia on the regional map as a leader in clean energy.