Rooftop-plus-floating solar scheme nears completion in Cambodia
By José Rojo Martín Feb 26, 2019 11:05 AM GMT 0

A 9.8MW PV project featuring rooftop and floating elements is approaching the finish line in Cambodia, breathing new life into a national PV scene still stuck in the low-double-digit MW region.

Cleantech Solar is building, financing and running a dual PV installation – 2.8MW in panels floating over a reservoir plus a further 7MW across rooftops – to power a production plant owned by the Chip Mong Insee Cement Corporation (CMIC) in the Kampot province.

PV Tech understands the floating element is now fully built while the rooftop portion is nearing completion, with plans for the PV plant to become fully operational by late March 2019.

Cleantech Solar, the builder of 200MW-plus of solar capacity in Southeast Asia and India, expects its rooftop-plus-floating scheme to generate 297GWh in power. The project should slash CMIC’s CO2 emissions by 197,000 tonnes throughout its lifespan, said the Singaporean developer, partially owned by Shell since last December.

Bidders needed for 60MW plant meant to revive local PV scene
Once it is up and running, the project is set to bolster Cambodia’s still modest PV ecosystem. Capacity has steadily risen since the early 2010s but barely surpassed the 27MW mark in 2017, according to IRENA.

With the help of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the country is working to build large-scale solar into an energy mix still heavily reliant on coal, hydro and imports from Vietnam and Thailand.

The development financier supported in 2017 the country’s first large-scale PV solar scheme. Slated for construction by Sunseap Group, the 10MW Bavet farm is set to supply power to Cambodia’s electricity regulator EDC under a 20-year PPA.

Even more significant is the ADB-backed 100MW National Solar Park project, which will kick off with the setup of a 60MW plant in the Kampong Chhnang province. Under tender documents published by EDC in mid-February, aspiring developers can table bids until 17 May 2019.

An unclear legislative framework – PV was unregulated in Cambodia until last year – and grid connection bans for low-voltage facilities have impacted C&I solar in particular. As advised by lawyers approached by PV Tech, rooftop developers must ensure they have the necessary building permits and rights to use the site throughout the PPA duration.
https://www.pv-tech.org/news/9.8mw-roof ... n-cambodia

Cheap, clean and efficient: The firm leading Cambodia’s solar revolution
Publication date 20 March 2019 | 10:35 ICT

Sitting in her bright and airy 17th floor office, Rithya Menon, Okra Smart Solar’s lead firmware engineer, checks the frequently updating data telling her everything about how well their community services are operating.

“I saw in the data that there was a problem with batteries going down each day. They should be recharging to full power,” she says, referring to Okra’s solar charged batteries running households living off the electrical grid...

‘Plug & Play’
The difference between Okra and a standalone home solar system is that a standalone system consists of a PV panel and battery that provides limited power to one household only.

In most cases, the panel and battery assets are not sized appropriately so up to 50 per cent of solar generation is wasted as batteries become fully charged just after midday and are drained quickly at night time.

In contrast, Okra’s technology connects solar home systems into smart grids which enables energy sharing.

This means panels and battery sizing does not significantly affect a household’s ability to scale their energy consumption. To do this, households simply needs to “plug” into a neighbouring household on the network, hence “Plug & Play”.

“If we start with one, it still works but it’s a standalone. There is no way to share the power, but if you connect with next house, you can share the power from one to the others and you can also connect more and more houses, and the more you connect, the more they all share together,” says Hannan.

“It’s as simple as plugging a cable from any of the houses into another Okra controller. As soon as they’re connected together, Okra software activates and starts sharing power in the smart network.”

Okra smart grids are used to provide energy for lighting, mobile phone charging, cooking, fans, television and even refrigeration. In the future, Okra aims to make sure their products can meet demand for more power-intensive electronic devices such as air-conditioners, washing machines, e-vehicle charging and other modern appliances.

Right now, 101 households are connected to energy from Okra smart grids in the most rural areas of Takeo and Kampong Speu provinces. The locations in both provinces are far from existing grids and the communities had no power before they were connected to Okra.
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/creativit ... revolution

July 12, 2019
Gov’t approves 140MW solar project
The government on Friday has urgently approved four solar projects with a total capacity to produce 140 megawatts, a move in to put an end to the country’s power woes in coming years.

The announcement came shortly after a meeting at the cabinet with regard to reviewing and approving a raft of drafts and investment proposals in which the 140-megawatt solar power is also included.

In a statement issued on Friday, the government said the four solar farms will be built in four provinces – Pursat, Battambang, Banteay Meanchey and Svay Rieng – with each solar farm being able to produce from 20, 30 and 60 megawatts, respectively.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50623453/g ... r-project/

CDC Approves 2 Solar Power Plants Worth Over $100 Million
30 August 2019

(Phnom Penh): The Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) has approved the construction of solar power plants in Pursat and Kampong Chhnang provinces worth $100 million.

CDC has granted certificates of registration to the following companies:

1. SCHNEITEC SUSTAINABLE CO., LTD. to build a 60 megawatt solar power station located in Krakor district, Pursat province, with a capital investment of US $ 58 million and can generate 35 employment opportunities to the locals; and

2. SCHNEITEC SUSTAINABLE CO., LTD. to construct a 60-megawatt solar power plant in Teuk Phos District, Kampong Chhnang province with an investment of $ 58 million and can create 35 jobs.

B.Grimm to acquire 30-MW solar PV project in Cambodia
Author: nonuou.

November 20 (Renewables Now) - Thai company B.Grimm Power PCL (SET:BGRIM) has agreed to purchase a 30-MW solar photovoltaic (PV) project under development in Cambodia.

The ground-mount solar farm is to be built in Serie Saophoan, Banteay Meanchey Province under a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with national utility Electricite Du Cambodge (EDC). The project is set to be completed by October 2020, B.Grimm said on Monday.

The company will acquire the right to the project through the purchase of 100% of Ray Power Supply Co Ltd by its subsidiary B.Grimm Solar Power at a total share value of USD 300,000 (EUR 271,000). The deal still needs to be approved by the Ministry of Mines and Energy and Cambodian authorities.
https://renewablesnow.com/news/bgrimm-t ... ia-677040/

UPDATE

CEOCambodiaNews wrote: ↑Mon Sep 02, 2019 11:52 pm CDC Approves 2 Solar Power Plants Worth Over $100 Million
30 August 2019

(Phnom Penh): The Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) has approved the construction of solar power plants in Pursat and Kampong Chhnang provinces worth $100 million.

CDC has granted certificates of registration to the following companies:

1. SCHNEITEC SUSTAINABLE CO., LTD. to build a 60 megawatt solar power station located in Krakor district, Pursat province, with a capital investment of US $ 58 million and can generate 35 employment opportunities to the locals; and

2. SCHNEITEC SUSTAINABLE CO., LTD. to construct a 60-megawatt solar power plant in Teuk Phos District, Kampong Chhnang province with an investment of $ 58 million and can create 35 jobs.

JinkoSolar panels to power 150 MW of solar parks in Cambodia
January 6 (Renewables Now) - JinkoSolar Holding Co Ltd (NYSE:JKS) will be delivering photovoltaic (PV) panels for three projects in Cambodia with a combined capacity of 150 MW.

The Chinese firms Cheetah solar panels will be installed at two PV parks in Pursat province’s Krakor district, of 60 MW and 30 MW, respectively. The third plant, with a capacity of 60 MW, will be located in the central province of Kampong Chhnang, JinkoSolar said in a press release. The manufacturer noted that this particular type of panels has an average module efficiency of 20% and is suitable for areas with high heat and humidity.

The three solar parks will be built in line with the local government’s efforts to meet the growing energy demand in the country. Estimates by state authorities show that the electricity demand in Cambodia will expand from 1.5 GW currently to 2.3 GW by 2020 and to 2.8 GW by 2021. At present, the nation covers its power needs with hydropower and coal.
https://renewablesnow.com/news/jinkosol ... ia-682606/