Cambodia

The move, by Taitong Industry Ltd, will come as a fresh blow to the Chinese module manufacturer, which twice failed to go public – in the U.S. and China – and whose project development business suffered a battering in China when Beijing reined in subsidies in 2018.

A simple feasibility analysis shows the Mekong River in Cambodia would benefit from floating solar plants coupled with storage, rather than more hydro.

The Asian Development Bank-backed procurement round attracted 26 bidders for the 60 MW project, according to the development lender. The ADB says the low price secured will persuade neighboring governments to embrace auctions.

The country’s government has decided to approve the four new projects, ranging in size from 20 MW to 60 MW, in response to rising energy demand. It further announced that the 60 MW project that it tendered at the beginning of the year is planned to start commercial operations in August.

Using an application based on resource data and country-specific techno-economic inputs, a report has analyzed the costs of developing utility scale renewables in Southeast Asia and found abundant, cost-competitive potential.

The development will comprise multiple smaller projects, a first 60 MW batch of which closed its first tender window this month with the results not yet publicized. Cambodia boasts comparatively high electricity prices and has been urged by the UN Development Program to use PV to drive down energy bills.

In Cambodia, Singapore’s Cleantech is building a 10 MW solar plant including a 2.7 MW floating section, and in Lithuania, state-owned utility Lietuvos Energija is deploying a floating plant at the Kruonis pumped storage hydroelectric power plant.

Electricité du Cambodge has launched an international tender to procure a solar project in Kampong Chhnang province, on a build-own-operate basis. The project is the initial phase of the 100 MW National Solar Park, which is being supported by the Asian Development Bank.

The Asian Development Bank, which is backing the plant, is seeking project consultants. If built, the solar park would improve the country’s limited power supply and bring technical benefits to the national grid.

The bank continues its involvement in Thailands largest IPP B.Grimm, which is set to grow its renewable energy portfolio. According to ADB, the green bond proceeds will go to nine operational solar PV plants with a cumulative rating of 67.7 MW, and 30.8 MW that are currently still under construction.