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Welcome at Pico Sol Cambodia

Installation solar panels on school

The sun is a free, inexhaustible resource of energy. Cambodia has great opportunities for solar energy. Although the country has very limited fossil fuel resources, it receives on daily base over five full solar hours, with a balanced distribution over the year, making it one of the sunniest countries in the world. Pico Sol Cambodia considers Cambodia’s solar resources as an opportunity for a sustainable development of the rural areas.

Basic infrastructure like an electricity grid is mainly available in Phnom Penh and provincial towns. The majority of the population lives in the rural areas. Due to this, about 85% of the 13 million Cambodians have no access to a secure electricity infrastructure. Many of them live below the poverty line of less than $1 per day. Providing these people with modern electric lighting is a small but important step to overcome their impoverished situation. In Pico Sol’s vision, the introduction of solar power for Cambodia’s rural population starts at the implementation of showcase projects that fulfil a communal purpose.

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    Short history

    Pico Sol Cambodia closely co-operates with the Dutch charity Pico Sol. Pico Sol's programme in Cambodja started in 1999 with realisation of small projects at orphanages. Projects succeeded each other. The Dutch volunteer Arjen Luxwolda went to Cambodia every year to carry out projects. Eventually, this leaded to the establishment of the company Kamworks. When Kamworks proved to operate well, Pico Sol Cambodia has been established as a Cambodian NGO, to secure and extend a long term co-operation, and to support and facilitate a professional solar power sector in Cambodia.

    Cambodja is for Pico Sol the example of how to operate in other countries, like Ghana and Papua: First by setting up pilot projects in the country, to increase knowledge of the country. After this: Capacity building. With this capacity, step by step more and bigger projects can be initialised, and more important: long term operation of 'old' projects can be secured.