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Concentrated Mitigation Efforts Delingha, PRC
5.5K
TONs OF CO₂ EMIssIONs REdUCEd ANNUAllY
Inhabitants 42,456
GdP per capita $1,621
Geographic area 207 km²
ThE ChAllENGE
Bavet, and Cambodia more broadly, has historically relied on fossil fuels and hydropower for energy, despite great untapped potential for solar power.
CO-BENEFITs
Economic
Since the solar plant started generating power, investments in the local economic zone have increased, promoting development in the area.
Social
The solar project has improved the reliability of Cambodia’s power supply and has led to the creation of green jobs.
Cambodia’s first Utility-scale solar plant
Cambodia’s first utility-scale solar plant in the southeast of the country is the first to tap into a powerful natural resource in Cambodia—sunshine.
The 10 MW solar power plant is located in Bavet, a special economic zone on the border of Viet Nam, about 150 km from the capital, Phnom Penh. Following an international tender, a consortium led by Singaporean company Sunseap built the plant and entered into a 20-year solar power purchase agreement with Electricité Du Cambodge, a state-owned utility. The solar plant has been providing around a quarter of the demand for nearby city Bavet since 2017 and is estimated to reduce around 5,500 tCO2e emissions annually.
The local area used to suffer from power shortages. Since the operation of the solar plant, investments in the area have increased, promoting further development and providing employment opportunities for local communities.
ADB’s Private Sector Operations Department provided a debt financing package of $9.2 million for the project. The package included cofinancing from a private sector financial institution and a concessional loan from the ADB-managed Canadian Climate Fund for the Private Sector in Asia (CFPS).
Unlocking Cambodia’s renewable energy resources. The project is the first utility-scale solar power plant in Cambodia (photo by ADB).
30%
OF dEMANd WIll BE MET ThROUGh RENEWABlE ENERGY
Inhabitants Kosrae: 7,686 Yap: 16,436
GdP per capita Kosrae: $2,309 Yap: $3,388
Geographic area Kosrae: 111 km² Yap: 118 km²
ThE ChAllENGE
Imported diesel is the main fuel on the FSM, accounting for about 80% of power generation on Yap and 95% on Kosrae.
CO-BENEFITs
Economic
The increased renewable energy capacity will help to reduce the dependence on imported and expensive fossil fuels.
Social
The provision of social services, such as health and education, is expected to improve in Yap and Kosrae through a more consistent power supply.
The Federated states of Micronesia (FsM) is investing in solar micro-grid and battery energy storage systems as well as capacity building to improve the utility company's commercial viability and financial sustainability and reduce emissions.
On the island of Kosrae, 1.15 MW of grid-connected solar PV capacity is being installed as well as solar–diesel hybrid mini-grid and rooftop solar systems for homes. On Yap, another pristine island on the other side of the FSM’s territory, the project will install a 1.95 MW ground-mounted PV solar system together with a battery storage system. The program will also support capacity building with the utility company on the largest island Pohnpei.
The expansion and further integration of renewables on the islands builds on the experience of the recently completed Yap Renewable Energy Development Project to further decrease Yap’s reliance on diesel for power generation and reduce GHG emissions from the islands. In the first year of the project, it is expected that renewable energy generation will make up about 30% of demand for Kosrae and Yap, in line with national targets.
The $15.51 million project was made possible with a $15 million grant from ADB and $510,000 million government cofinancing.
Clean and reliable energy for the fsm. Children enjoying the spring in Pohnpei, where the utility company’s long-term viability and ability to deliver reliable services will be improved (photo by ADB).
