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🇰🇭 Solar Calculator Cambodia

Enter your monthly EAC electricity bill in USD or diesel genset costs — get solar system size, self-consumption savings (no net metering in Cambodia), diesel replacement payback of 3–5 years, and 25-year savings.

Your electricity details
$USD
Solar system results — Cambodia
10 kWp system — 1402 kWh/kWp/yr
Monthly bill (KHR equivalent)៛2,460,000 / $600
Annual solar production14,016 kWh/yr
Effective rate (EAC or diesel)$0.15/kWh
Annual electricity savings$1,472/yr
System cost range$7,000 – $10,000
Cost in KHR (approx)៛28,700,000 – ៛41,000,000
Payback period5.8 years
25-year net savings$28,292
No formal net metering in Cambodia: EAC does not offer a formal net metering or feed-in tariff scheme. Solar savings are from self-consumption only. Size your system to match daytime consumption — oversizing reduces returns without export income. Batteries improve self-consumption but add cost.
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How to Use This Calculator

Enter your monthly EAC electricity bill or diesel cost in USD

Cambodia primarily uses US dollars for commercial transactions. Enter your monthly bill from EAC (Electricité du Cambodge) in USD. EAC retail rates vary significantly — urban Phnom Penh rates start around $0.12/kWh and climb to $0.18/kWh at higher consumption tiers. Rural and provincial rates may be higher due to distribution costs. If you rely on diesel generators (common in areas with unreliable grid access), enter your monthly fuel and maintenance spending instead.

Select your city for peak sun hours

Cambodia has outstanding solar resources year-round thanks to its tropical location near the equator. Sihanoukville on the Gulf of Thailand coast (5.2 PSH) is Cambodia's sunniest major city. Siem Reap near Angkor Wat (5.0 PSH) and Battambang and Kampong Cham (both 4.9 PSH) are excellent. Phnom Penh (4.8 PSH) is still far above the global average. Unlike temperate countries, Cambodia has minimal seasonal solar variation — production is relatively consistent throughout the year, though the monsoon season (June–October) brings more cloud cover.

Genset replacement mode

A critical and often overlooked use case: replacing diesel generators. The true all-in cost of diesel electricity generation in Cambodia is $0.25–0.35/kWh when you factor in fuel, engine oil, maintenance, and generator depreciation — significantly higher than EAC grid rates. Solar payback against diesel is 3–5 years, making it one of Southeast Asia's best solar investment cases. Enable genset replacement mode to calculate using the $0.30/kWh diesel true cost baseline.

The Formula

Monthly kWh = Monthly Bill ÷ $0.15/kWh (EAC average) or ÷ $0.30/kWh (diesel true cost) Annual production = kWp × PSH × 365 × 0.80 efficiency Self-consumption = Annual kWh × 70% (grid-connected) or 95% (off-grid/genset) Annual savings = Self-consumed kWh × effective rate (EAC or diesel) Note: Cambodia has no net metering — no export income from EAC grid System cost = kWp × $700–1,000/kWp (installed, USD) Payback vs EAC grid = 4–7 years; vs diesel genset = 3–5 years

Cambodia's legal framework for solar is governed by the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) and regulated by EAC (Electricité du Cambodge). There is currently no formal net metering or feed-in tariff scheme for private prosumers, though policy discussions are ongoing. The Cambodian Solar Rooftop Programme (supported by GIZ and ADB) has promoted commercial and industrial rooftop solar without net metering — pure self-consumption model. System costs of $700–1,000/kWp are very competitive due to proximity to Chinese panel manufacturing and lower installation labor costs.

Example

Sokha — Phnom Penh business, 10kWp grid-connected

Sokha runs a business in Phnom Penh paying $600/month to EAC. He installs a 10kWp rooftop system to offset daytime operational consumption.

Monthly bill$600 / ៛2,460,000
City / PSHPhnom Penh, 4.8 PSH
System size10 kWp
ModeEAC grid-connected (self-consumption)

Result

Annual production~14,016 kWh/yr
Production per kWp~1,402 kWh/kWp/yr
Annual savings (self-consumption)~$1,472/yr
System cost$7,000 – $10,000
Payback~5.8 years
25-year net savings~$27,800

Phnom Penh's 4.8 PSH delivers around 1,402 kWh/kWp/yr — excellent production for a capital city. Without net metering, Sokha maximizes self-consumption by running heavy equipment during peak solar hours (10am–3pm). A small battery system would improve the economics further.

FAQ

Yes — Cambodia has outstanding solar resources (4.8–5.2 PSH) and installation costs of $700–1,000/kWp are among Southeast Asia's most competitive. Against EAC grid rates of $0.12–0.18/kWh, payback is 4–7 years. Against diesel generators ($0.30/kWh true cost), payback drops to 3–5 years — making it one of the region's best solar investment cases. The main limitation is the absence of formal net metering, which means systems should be sized to match daytime load.
As of 2026, Cambodia does not have a formal net metering or feed-in tariff policy for private solar prosumers. The EAC grid does not compensate for surplus export. Solar installations must be sized for self-consumption — excess production that cannot be self-consumed or stored in batteries is effectively wasted. Policy discussions facilitated by ADB, GIZ, and the Ministry of Mines and Energy are ongoing, and net metering rules may be introduced in coming years. Check mmne.gov.kh for updates.
The true all-in cost of diesel electricity in Cambodia is $0.25–0.35/kWh. This includes diesel fuel ($0.15–0.20/kWh equivalent), engine oil changes, maintenance, fuel pump wear, and generator depreciation over a 10,000–15,000 hour service life. Many businesses, farms, and rural communities that rely on generators for all or backup power achieve solar payback in just 3–5 years. Adding a lithium battery bank for nighttime power (replacing generator runtime) accelerates returns further. Off-grid solar with battery storage completely eliminates diesel dependency.
Sihanoukville (5.2 PSH) on the Gulf of Thailand is Cambodia's sunniest major city, benefiting from coastal breezes that reduce panel-heating losses. Siem Reap (5.0 PSH) near Angkor Wat has excellent production. Battambang and Kampong Cham (both 4.9 PSH) in the Tonle Sap region are also very strong. Phnom Penh (4.8 PSH) is still outstanding by global standards. Cambodia's tropical location and minimal seasonal variation make every location excellent for solar — location choice matters less than system design and self-consumption optimization.
Installed solar costs in Cambodia range from $700–1,000/kWp — competitive by regional standards due to proximity to Chinese panel manufacturing and lower labor costs. A typical 10kWp commercial system costs $7,000–10,000. Residential systems (5kWp) cost $3,500–5,000. Premium brands (Longi Hi-MO, Jinko Tiger Neo) cost slightly more than budget options. Adding a lithium battery system (e.g., 10kWh BYD or Pylontech) adds $3,000–5,000 but dramatically improves self-consumption for evening loads. Always request itemized quotes from at least 3 Phnom Penh-based installers.

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