IED, major actor of the National Long-Term Strategy for Carbon Neutrality in Cambodia!

The final workshop for the restitution of the study on energy modelling in Cambodia took place on December 14, 2023. This technical assistance, launched in 2021, was financed by the French Development Agency through their 2050 Facility.

The workshop was attended by many multi-sectoral parties, including representatives from the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), Cambodia Electricity (EDC), the Cambodian Regulatory Authority (EAC), the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), the Ministry of Transport (MPWT) as well as international institutions and private sector actors.

The study resulted in the development of modelling energy scenarios through an Excel tool, which the technical working group members were trained, the development of the carbon neutrality in 2050 (LTS4CN) long-term scenario which was presented at COP21 in 2021, and the development of two alternative sustainable development trajectories with a view to achieving the objectives of the LTS4CN. The study resulted in policy recommendations to be implemented accompanied by a detailed action plan that were presented and discussed at this final workshop.

One of the main challenges for Cambodia identified in the study is to master transportation means energy efficiency by electrifying vehicles and using natural gas as a transition fuel for freight.

As far as the electricity sector is concerned, achieving decarbonation objectives requires a high penetration of renewable energies, mainly from solar sources, accompanied by natural gas deployment. Cambodia could in this sight, also explore the prospects of hydrogen especially in the freight transport sector and in industry. The study also highlighted the country's sustainable biomass potential as well as the challenges related to supply chain development, giving a glimpse to such promising future in Cambodia.