CEW 2025 Spotlights Clean Energy as Key Driver of Cambodia’s Economic Growth
2025-10-02 14:00
Clean Energy Week 2025 brings together government, industry and international partners to spotlight how clean energy can drive economic growth, attract investment, create jobs and help the Kingdom meet its ambitious renewable energy and net-zero targets.
Cambodia’s clean energy journey is being thrust under the spotlight at the week-long Clean Energy Week (CEW) 2025, which brings together key stakeholders from a range of sectors to explore the role clean energy has to play in boosting the nation’s economic future.
“Cambodia has a generational opportunity to leverage clean energy to drive the country’s economic competitiveness and show that Cambodia is ready to take advantage of the new clean energy paradigm,” EnergyLab Asia Regional Director, Natharoun Ngo Son, said during his opening speech.
Running from October 2 to 9, under the theme ‘Unlocking a Clean Energy Economy’, this year’s event places a strong focus on the role clean energy has to play in securing the country’s economic future.
Australian Ambassador Derek Yip said, “With effective clean energy policies, Cambodia can strengthen its economy by improving energy reliability, reducing costs, and attracting responsible investment. These efforts will not only help combat climate change but also unlock access to increasingly climate-conscious international markets.”
Throughout the week, various panel discussions and activities will highlight how clean energy can strengthen Cambodia’s existing industries, such as garment and tourism. In addition it will showcase how the energy transition has the potential to attract millions of dollars of investment in energy-intensive and clean technology industries.
The programme will throw the spotlight on critical issues in Cambodia’s clean energy transition. These include unleashing Cambodia’s clean energy skills potential and women’s economic empowerment through the just energy transition.
In addition, there will be an evening of original short documentaries by Cambodian students that showcase stories of clean energy innovations and successes. An exhibition will also reveal Solarpunk artwork by Cambodians and digital works by artists from across the region.
The week’s events kick-started on October 2, with the Clean Energy Week Summit at Sofitel Phnom Penh. This brought together policymakers, industry leaders, financial institutions and development partners to explore the factors that will shape Cambodia’s clean energy future.
During his opening remarks at the summit, Hem Vanndy, Minister of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation, said, “Clean Energy is essential to Cambodia’s industrial growth. The transition to clean energy will position us well in the regional and global supply chain. It will generate new sources of economic growth and quality jobs."
CEW 2025 comes as the Kingdom sets ambitious targets of reaching 70 percent renewable energy, a 19 percent improvement in energy efficiency and to have 770,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2030, as well as reaching net-zero by 2050.
Enrico Gaveglia, UNDP Resident Representative in Cambodia, pledged that UNDP will continue to support Cambodia in its green finance transition, reducing the cost to public finance and de-risking a capital intensive transformation.
"A transition toward net-zero holds the key to indispensable accelerators of sustainable development with attributes such as socio-economic resilience, fiscal affordability and human security,” he said.
“Cambodia can achieve its development ambitions by moving towards universal access to clean, efficient, affordable and inclusive energy.”