Cambodia: Solar panels bring lights to rural homes

Cambodia: Solar panels bring lights to rural homes

Using generator to recharge car batteries is the common method of how rural
households that still remain off the national grid get electricity. But in
Kampong Chhnang province, the utility has just gotten a little hi-tech.

In Por and Trabek villages, located on an island in Tonle Sap Lake, solar
panels convert sunlight into electrical energy and channel it through the
wire connecting to the batteries down below. They have come to replace the
earsplitting, carbon-emitting generators that, until a year ago, the
villagers used to depend on for power.

"I like it a lot. My battery's life also seems to last longer each time
after recharging with the solar system," said Phem Da, a 69-year-old woman
in Por village.

Across the dirt road from her house lives Chuop Pha, 57, who used to run a
generator-powered recharging business for a living. Today, he manages one of
the solar stations in an arrangement which ensures a steady income for his
family and, at the same time, gives the villagers a more affordable,
environmentally-friendly source of energy.

In exchange for letting a solar facility be installed in his backyard, Chuop
Pha gets 40 percent of the monthly revenue from the recharging service. The
remaining 60 percent is collected by the solar station management committee
- which is made up of commune office representatives and villagers - to use
for maintenance fund and development purposes in the benefit of the
community.

Bring battery for recharge.Ms. Phem Da carries a battery for a recharge at
the solar station. (Photo: UNDP Cambodia)
"The new service is gaining popularity among the villagers. One reason is
the fee is cheaper than recharging with generator," Chuop Pha said, adding
that his generator plays a back-up role to the solar panels only.

Recharging fees range from 500 riel to 3,000 riel depending on battery's
storage capacity. But compared to using generator, the fee for every battery
is cheaper by 500 riel - a small but significant amount for most people who
live on just 3,871 riel (less than US$1) a day.

Each solar station has the capacity to recharge up to 50 batteries a day.
Theoretically, that means enough power to provide the average family with
electricity for a year.

Currently, only 22.47 percent of Cambodian households have access to the
electricity, according to Cambodian Investment Board. Among them, only 13
percent rural households have electricity versus 54 percent in urban areas.
The government aims to provide electricity access to 70 percent of all the
rural households by 2030.

The residents of Por and Trabek villages have relied on car batteries for
light as long as they can remember. Recently though, electric poles have
been erected along the red-dirt roads to the villages, offering the locals a
glimpse of hope that one day they would have a steady supply of electricity
for daily use. But until that actually happens, the batteries will continue
to be their only alternative for sometimes to come, said Phem Da, the
69-year-old villager.

"It will also depend on the price of main grid. If it is expensive, I am
afraid I will just keep relying on my battery again," she said.

The two solar stations were funded by Global Environment Facility Small
Grant Programme through a UNDP-managed project. It helps provide rural
households with access to clean energy, contributing to curbing carbon
emission, especially from local power generators.

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Link to Original Article:
http://www.kh.undp.org/content/cambodia/en/home/ourwork/environmentandenergy
/successstories/solar-panels-bring-lights-to-rural-homes.html

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John Diecker
APT Consulting Group Co., Ltd.

www.aptthailand.com