How much does a photovoltaic panel on a roof in Phnom Penh cost

Scores of seven solar photovoltaic (PV) projects are in the pipeline for construction and planned for operation by 2023. The Cambodian government aims to generate 20 percent of energy from renewable energy. This is our guide to Solar Energy in Cambodia.

Installation of rooftop PV is heavily penalized in Cambodia with solar arrays currently charged a monthly capacity fee – around US$0.07/kWh for larger systems and $0.84/kWh for smaller systems, according to the report “Position paper on renewable energy in Cambodia” by the European Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia (EuroChamb).

It is advocating for the cancelation of the charges for both the manufacturing and industrial sectors. According to the regulations introduced by the Electricity Authority of Cambodia (EAC) in 2018, rooftop PV system owners cannot access cheaper off-peak energy at nighttime nor may they export excess solar electricity to the grid.

According to the regulations introduced by the Electricity Authority of Cambodia (EAC) in 2018, rooftop PV system owners cannot access cheaper off-peak energy at nighttime nor may they export excess solar electricity to the grid. Furthermore, solar is capped at 50% of the contracted load, and systems built prior to the regulations cannot operate.

The cost of a floating solar project in Cambodia is estimated to be approximately $0.045 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). This is significantly cheaper than the cost per kWh for electricity from a new dam or coal plant.

Imports from Laos and Thailand will grow, totaling 62.45% and 10.47% of imported energy, respectively, with imports from Vietnam decreasing to 27.08%. According to a recent report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), there is an estimated $903 million investment opportunity in solar PV in Cambodia.