As the sun rises over the Mekong and the subcontinent, a new energy alliance dawns—one fueled not by coal or oil, but by collaboration, innovation, and clean power. India and Cambodia, two nations at different stages of industrial growth but united by shared sustainability goals, are forging impactful joint ventures in renewable energy. From Cambodia’s emerging solar farms and wind-swept plateaus to India’s robust expertise in green technology, these partnerships are lighting the path toward a cleaner, more resilient future. Biomass plants fueled by rice husks, solar arrays spanning vast fields, and pioneering wind projects are not just symbols of progress—they are proof of what’s possible when nations combine resources and resolve.
As Southeast Asia’s energy demands climb and South Asia’s renewable sector expands, this alliance between India and Cambodia presents a dynamic blueprint for regional cooperation. Together, they're not just harnessing natural forces—they're empowering communities and rewriting the future of energy.
This article explores the current landscape, projects, and prospects of such partnerships.
Table of Contents
Joint Ventures in Renewable Energy: India and Cambodia’s Partnerships in Solar, Wind, and Biomass
The global push for clean, sustainable energy has fostered unprecedented collaboration across borders. The relationship between India and Cambodia highlights how joint ventures in renewable energy—specifically solar, wind, and biomass—can drive development, accelerate decarbonization, and create economic opportunities in both nations.
The Need for Renewable Energy Collaboration
India and Cambodia face immense energy demands fueled by population growth and rising industrialization. India, as a large and ambitious player in the renewable sector, brings mature technology, financing, and policy frameworks. Cambodia aims to diversify its energy portfolio, reduce its reliance on imported electricity, and tap into its substantial untapped renewable energy potential. Collaboration allows Cambodia to fast-track its clean energy ambitions, while India expands its regional influence and market reach.
Solar Energy: A Bright Avenue for Bilateral Joint Ventures
Solar energy, a renewable and abundant resource, helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel dependence, thereby supporting a cleaner environment. Solar panels can lower electricity costs for homes and businesses, requiring minimal maintenance, making them a cost-effective alternative to other energy sources.
India's Investments and Partnerships
India ranks among the world's leaders in solar capacity, with leading public sector companies such as NTPC and ONGC pursuing large-scale renewable projects and forming joint ventures for both domestic and offshore renewable projects, including solar. These collaborations are increasingly eyed for international expansion, with Southeast Asia, particularly Cambodia, as a prime destination.
Cambodian Solar Projects and India’s Role
Cambodia has made significant progress in solar adoption, with large-scale projects being developed through multilateral and foreign partnerships. Notable projects include:
- 10 MW Solar Farm in Bavet City: Developed by Sunseap (Singapore) with links to Indian experts, supplying clean energy, alleviating local demand, and creating skilled jobs.
- Hybrid Rooftop and Floating Solar (10 MW for Chip Mong Insee Cement Corp.): Projects like these demonstrate innovative technology transfer possibilities, aligning with expertise from Indian companies.
- National Solar Park Project (100 MW, ADB-backed): This utility-scale initiative is open to independent power producers and joint ventures, providing an entry point for Indian firms.
Manufacturing Joint Ventures
Companies such as Allesun have relocated their solar manufacturing operations to India and are actively pursuing joint venture partners for large-scale production. This approach showcases a robust model of South-South collaboration and interconnected supply chains that link India, Vietnam, and Cambodia.
India surpassed 100 GW of installed solar capacity in mid-2025 and is continuing to expand rapidly. By 2030, the country aims to achieve 500 GW of total non-fossil fuel-based installed capacity, with solar expected to be a significant contributor.
Wind Energy: Cambodia’s New Frontier
Wind energy is a nascent sector in Cambodia, presenting an exciting frontier for international collaboration and investment. India’s installed wind capacity stood at roughly 44 GW as of 2024.
Recent Milestones:
- 150 MW Wind Farm in Mondulkiri (Leader Energy): Cambodia’s largest wind project signals the country’s intention to diversify its renewable energy mix. While a Malaysian-led consortium backs this flagship project, it sets a strong precedent for future cross-border JVs, including those involving Indian partners that have vast experience in wind farm development and technology deployment. The Mondulkiri project is estimated to have a total investment of approximately $200 million.
Biomass: Harnessing Agricultural Synergies
Biomass presents a unique opportunity where the agricultural strengths of both countries and their respective technologies intersect. Cambodia has a technical biomass generation potential of at least 900 MW, primarily from rice husk and other agricultural residues, with installed capacity ranging from about 30 to 60 MW as of 2023, depending on the inclusion of small and off-grid plants.
Pioneering Indo-Cambodian Biomass JV
Soma Group (Cambodia) and Ankur Scientific (India): 1.5 MW Rice Husk Power Plant
In Kampong Cham, the Indian company Ankur Scientific supplied and commissioned a biomass power plant for Soma Group, which is fueled by rice husks. The power station supports local rice mills and the grid, exemplifying knowledge transfer and sustainable, localized power solutions.
Regional Biomass Developments
- Japanese and International Partnerships: Cambodia is also seeing significant investment in biomass generation from companies like Erex (Japan), which plans to build multiple 50 MW plants. These developments create a competitive and collaborative landscape for Indian companies seeking to enter or expand in Cambodia.
- Biomass in India: Joint ventures between Indian groups and multilateral agencies are scaling up agricultural waste-to-energy projects. These provide best practices and technologies directly translatable to Cambodia’s needs.
| Overview of Renewable Energy Sector in Cambodia | |||||
| Project/Initiative | Location | Sector | Capacity | Investment (USD) | Year |
| Bavet City Solar Farm | Cambodia | Solar | 10 MW | $9 million | 2017 |
| National Solar Park | Svay Rieng | Solar | 100 MW | $80 million | 2020-2023 |
| Wind Farm (Mondulkiri) | Cambodia | Wind | 150 MW | $200 million | Under Development |
| Soma-Ankur Rice Husk Plant | Kampong Cham | Biomass | 1.5 MW | $4.5 million | 2018 |
| Erex biomass Expansion | Cambodia | Biomass | 150 MW | $300 million | By 2030 |
Additional Context
Skill Development and Job Creation
The expansion of the sector is driving investments in technical training and “green skills” programs, which further boost employment opportunities for youth and underserved populations.
The renewables sector in Cambodia created over 2,000 direct jobs between 2019 and 2024, with thousands more in value chains and related industries. With a national target of at least 25% renewable energy share by 2030, Cambodia is expected to accelerate job creation in the construction, operation, and maintenance of solar, wind, and biomass plants.
International projects, such as the 150 MW Mondulkiri wind farm and ADB-backed solar parks, are expected to generate hundreds of new jobs both during construction and long-term operations. Companies like Erex (Japan) and Indo-Cambodian collaborations in biomass could each contribute hundreds more jobs as new plants come online by 2030.
Types of Jobs Created
- Engineering, construction, O&M (operations and maintenance), manufacturing, logistics, quality control, R&D, and management.
- Many jobs are also created indirectly through local services, installation, and community support businesses.
Joint Ventures: India and Cambodia
Supply Chain Integration: Regional joint ventures—such as those in solar manufacturing and project development—create jobs locally in both countries and strengthen interconnected supply chains across Asia.
Policy-Driven Growth: Further policy support in both countries, combined with technology transfer and investment, is poised to significantly scale job creation, especially in rural and peri-urban regions.
| Future Renewable Energy Job Creation Projections | ||||
| Country | 2023 Jobs | 2030 Projected Jobs | 2050 High Ambition | Main Sectors |
| India | ~1 million | 1.6-2.3 million | 3.2+ million | Solar, Biomass,Wind |
| Cambodia | 2000+ | Thousand more* | N/A | Solar, Wind, Biomass |
*Thousands of new jobs are anticipated with large-scale projects underway and policy targets for 2030.
Carbon Impact
Solar Projects - Cambodia’s 100 MW National Solar Park is expected to generate ~180 GWh/year, which—based on global benchmarks—could offset 75,000–135,000 tons of CO₂ annually. With additional solar capacity planned (targeting 2 GW by 2030), the cumulative impact is expected to be substantial.
Wind Projects - The 150 MW Mondulkiri wind farm is Cambodia’s largest to date. While CO₂ offset figures aren’t published, similar-scale wind farms typically save 150,000–200,000 tons of CO₂ per year, depending on grid factors.
National Commitments - Cambodia’s Updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) outlines a goal to reduce emissions by 41.7% by 2030, with renewables playing a central role.
The quantitative data above demonstrates the accelerating scale of joint ventures and investment in renewable energy between India and Cambodia, underlining their significance for the region’s energy transition.
Role of UNDP
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has played a crucial role in supporting Cambodia’s transition to renewable energy through initiatives such as the Derisking Renewable Energy Investment (DREI) project, which focuses on utility-scale and rooftop solar, solar batteries, and grid integration. The UNDP also collaborates with the Royal Government of Cambodia to address policy gaps, promote clean energy technologies such as biomass and solar, and advance national electrification and climate targets in line with Cambodia’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Drivers, Challenges, and Opportunities
India and Cambodia are forming a renewable energy partnership to promote sustainable development, attract investment, and meet energy demands while reducing their reliance on fossil fuels. Challenges include ensuring robust grid infrastructure, harmonizing regulatory frameworks, and building local technical expertise. The partnership offers opportunities for innovation, public-private partnerships, and technology transfer.
Policy and Financial Support
- Government incentives, such as “Qualified Investment Project” (QIP) status in Cambodia and access to international development financing, create favorable conditions for joint ventures in renewables.
- Technical assistance and capacity-building from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, and regional organizations foster a strong ecosystem for collaboration.
Barriers
Key challenges include:
- The limited grid infrastructure in Cambodia makes integrating variable renewable energy sources a complex process.
- Regulatory uncertainty, particularly regarding transmission and open access for renewable projects.
- Need for localization of technical skill sets and maintenance know-how.
Future Prospects: Scaling Potential, Shaping Policy, Grounding Innovation
The India–Cambodia energy partnership is poised to evolve from infrastructure rollout to systemic transformation.
Technology Co-Development: Beyond deployment, Indian firms can co-develop advanced storage solutions, AI-driven grid optimization, and floating solar innovations tailored to Cambodia’s terrain and hydrology. Collaborations could also extend to offshore wind feasibility assessments, leveraging India’s experience in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.
Regional Resilience Frameworks: Joint ventures can pioneer regional energy hubs across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), using Cambodia as a testbed for decentralized, climate-resilient models. Think microgrids for flood-prone villages or solar-wind hybrids for industrial corridors.
Skill Transfer & Green Workforce Development: Capacity-building programs—co-sponsored by India’s Skill Council for Green Jobs and Cambodian vocational institutes—can transform knowledge transfer into long-term empowerment, especially for women and youth in rural zones.
Policy Synchronization and Cross-Border RE Credits: There’s scope to align clean energy certification, emissions tracking, and even trade in Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) under a shared South-South framework, boosting investor confidence.
Civic Tech & Participatory Innovation: Involve local innovators through hackathons and open-source energy platforms.
The expansion of Cambodia’s National Solar Park, upcoming wind projects, and government priorities for biomass energy ensure plentiful opportunities for innovative Indo-Cambodian ventures across the value chain—from manufacturing and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC), and project operation and local workforce training.
Conclusion: The Road Ahead
India and Cambodia’s clean energy partnership goes beyond generating megawatts—it’s about transforming communities. From solar parks that create jobs to rice husk-powered mills supporting rural livelihoods, the collaboration yields benefits that extend far beyond the electric grid. This shared journey—from rice fields to rooftops—tells a story of innovation, inclusion, and energy equity.
The alliance is not only strategic but also symbolic, as it combines India’s technological expertise with Cambodia’s renewable energy potential. Solar, wind, and biomass projects are more than just infrastructure—they drive sustainable development, foster green employment, and ensure cleaner air. Each initiative becomes a spark for local progress and a step toward global climate resilience.
As rooftops gleam with solar panels and turbines rotate across the countryside, the Indo-Cambodian alliance shows that energy is not only produced—it’s co-created, distributed, and rooted in a larger purpose of equity, sustainability, and shared growth. This partnership is powered with a purpose.
