Kamworks to expand solar energy generation

KHMER TIMES
CHEA VANNAK

Investments in solar panels helps reduce electricity expenses and reduces air pollution. Reuters

Homegrown solar energy company Kamworks is looking to provide more Cambodians with the opportunity to produce solar energy from their very own homes.

The company has for two years been offering rural families the opportunity to swap their car battery-powered electrical systems, which are expensive and cumbersome, with solar panels.

Mitigating high upfront costs, hundreds of farmers were given the opportunity to pay off their solar panels in installments, a model unique to Kamworks that may soon be introduced in the city.

“We understand that people in the rural areas, especially poor farmers, are not able to access electricity due to financial limitations. So we launched this service to let them have solar panel-generated electricity” Kamworks project manager Alexander Belters said yesterday. “Next, we want to focus on solar home systems for Phnom Penh residents because we want them to save electricity by using clean energy,” Mr. Belters added.

He explained that solar energy investment coupled with the unique installment payment scheme made the renewable energy source favorable, especially given the fact that the solar home systems last up to 25 years.

The Energy Ministry’s new and renewable energy deputy director Lieng Vuthy welcomed the initiative as the project would promote the use of cleaner energy.

“It is good because it helps farmers in the rural areas who have no power supply,” Mr. Vuthy said.

“Solar investment is getting a lot of attention because it helps reduce their electricity expenses and reduces air pollution.”

LMB (Cambodia) Group director-general Kong Pharith lauded the project as it also helped farmers do their jobs better.

“Farmers are interesting in using solar energy for their work on the form, and it’s good for business,” he said, adding that the project would also help reduce farmers’ expenses.

According to a Mekong Strategic Partners’ report titled “Switching On: Cambodia’s Path to Sustainable Energy Security,” which was released Friday, Cambodia is almost completely reliant on hydro and coal-fired power.

The report added that 74 percent of the country’s 1,569 megawatts of electricity was generated domestically, of which 927 megawatts came from hydroelectric dams, 368 megawatts from coal-fired plants and 218 megawatts from diesel-fired plants.