Clean Energy Week 2024 (CEW), the largest of its kind in Cambodia, kicked off in Phnom Penh this morning.

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

The launch saw representatives from Cambodia, Australia and the UNDP celebrating the coming week of activities.

“The week arrives at a pivotal moment for Cambodia, as clean energy has become a national priority under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun Manet and the seventh-mandate government,” explained a press release from Australian non-profit EnergyLab.

“Through forward-thinking policies and strategic investments, Cambodia is laying the foundation for a more sustainable and prosperous future,” it added.

Australian ambassador to Cambodia Derek Yip also lauded the importance of the programme.

“Australia is proud to be a founding partner of Clean Energy Week, supporting the event since it first started in 2018. At that time, the challenges of harnessing clean energy in Southeast Asia’s future felt 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 stewardship,” he said.

The release explained that clean energy is being built around the world at an unprecedented rate. In 2023, the world achieved the fastest rate of renewable deployment on record – doubling global renewable capacity while global sales of electric cars also increased by 35 per cent, to around 14 million.  

It explained that the increase has been driven by significant falls in the cost of wind, solar, batteries and EVs over the last decade. 

According to the release, Cambodia is extremely well positioned to take advantage of this momentum, with at least 65 GW of solar potential and 5 GW of wind potential. Through policies such as doubling the nation’s solar power ambitions, the cancellation of the coal power project in Koh Kong and the launch of Cambodia's Electric Vehicle Roadmap, the country is positioned to be a clean energy leader. 

“Cambodia’s commitment to build solar, wind and electric vehicles demonstrates a clear dedication to reducing Cambodia’s reliance on fossil fuels and tackling climate change,” said EnergyLab country director Natharoun Ngo Son. 

“The next challenge is to ensure we maximise the benefits of the shift towards renewable energy for Cambodia – making sure we create thousands of jobs, support local businesses and make sure the voices of the community are heard as projects are developed,” he added.

Clean Energy Week 2024 aims to “supercharge” this progress, allowing stakeholders to share new ideas, discuss policy solutions and forge partnerships. The week’s programme will focus on the critical issues in Cambodia’s clean energy transition, such as improving energy access, driving economic growth and achieving national climate targets.

The release added that the centrepiece of the week is the Clean Energy Summit, held in Phnom penh from October 31st-November 1. It gathers policymakers, industry leaders, financial institutions and international partners for strategic discussions that will shape Cambodia’s clean energy future. 

UNDP resident representative Ms Alissar Chaker said, “Embracing clean energy is not just an ideological position. It is a driver for energy security, trade dividends and green jobs creation, access to green financing and reducing pollution. Development partners play a crucial role in supporting Cambodia’s clean energy ambitions and in transforming them to reality. It is with this intention that UNDP has been supporting 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 co-founders, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the UNDP; in addition to co-funders, CAPRED and New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

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