Cambodia has been struggling insufficient electricity facilities for a long time. Poor quality and
intermittent electricity supply especially in rural areas affect economic life, education and health severely.
Cambodian government has already released that economic growth and fight against poverty can be
achieved through extension of electricity production and consumption in Cambodia. This can definitely
reduce the gap already created between rural and urban people.
It is known that Cambodia supplies more than 80% of its total energy needs from biomass. However,
energy production from biomass is generally obtained by very primitive and inefficient methods. It is also
serious threat to sustainability of agricultural and forestry resources although Cambodia is one of the
richest country in terms of biomass sources. Therefore, it is very crucial to have an idea that biomass
resources in Cambodia can constitute a promising option for its energy needs if they are used in such a
way which encourages efficient biomass energy systems. Also, since rice is main crop raised throughout
Cambodia, it is considered an important biomass energy sources in the country. Therefore, this paper
focuses on extension of rice husk gasification systems which is seen as a promising way to generate
electricity. Such systems could bring many economical, technical, environmental and social advantages to
Cambodia.
Such renewable energy technology can meet the policies of Government of Cambodia and also serve
affordable and reliable electricity facilities to household consumption and other industrial needs. Rice
husk gasification technology shows some good examples which have already developed and perfected
over last thirty years and are now widely used especially in India, China, Brazil, Vietnam and many other
countries.
As a result of this extension of rice husk gasification technology in Cambodia with its many
advantages mentioned above, Cambodia can have a considerable amount of electricity generation by
using rice husk in biomass gasification systems. If all rice husk that is produced in 2007 could be used for
electricity generation it could potentially generate about yearly 1377 GWh electricity which already
covers the electricity consumption in the same year. Moreover, rice husk as a waste will be eliminated
with the help of this method so that it will be a solution for waste disposal and pulmonary diseases.