But as construction begins, community members say they have received little information about what is happening to the forested hills of Mondulkiri province, which has the highest population of Indigenous people in Cambodia and a complicated history of land rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cambodia\u2019s wind potential<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The country\u2019s wind potential, estimated at 6 GW<\/a>, is far lower than its solar potential (44 GW), but the two technologies are complementary, said Dean Rizzetti, energy policy director at EnergyLab Asia, a clean energy organisation focused on the Mekong region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWind power is so promising for Cambodia because it can help fill the gaps that cannot be met with solar and hydro and will create a more resilient energy system,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, Rizzetti noted that wind farms are highly technical and complicated. Cambodia, he said, will need to invest in environmental surveys and training to fulfil its ambitious wind power goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cToday, there is almost no experience in building wind farms, so Cambodia needs to rapidly develop training facilities and curricula as soon as possible to ensure that the jobs created through wind farms support Cambodians,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Blue Circle, a Singapore-based company which has already developed three wind projects<\/a> in Vietnam, initially proposed an 80 MW wind farm in Cambodia\u2019s southern province of Kampot, on a coastal, privately-controlled mountain called Bokor. That project was delayed<\/a> indefinitely, while the government switched its focus to developing wind power in Mondulkiri province.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, the National Assembly has approved<\/a> Kouprey Windfarm, the company\u2019s 150-MW wind project in Mondulkiri. The name of the project was confirmed to Dialogue Earth by The Blue Circle\u2019s CEO, Olivier Duguet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Duguet says he\u2019s been hoping to develop Cambodia\u2019s wind power for over a decade. According to him, Cambodia\u2019s government, like that of many frontier wind markets, was initially sceptical due to wind\u2019s higher costs compared to solar. But former prime minister Hun Sen began seeking new energy sources after a <\/a>string of power cuts<\/a> in 2019, triggered by an El Nino-induced dry spell that affected the country\u2019s hydropower supply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As part of that push, Cambodia approved several new fossil-fuel plants, including a <\/a>265 MW coal plant<\/a> in Oddar Meanchey province, and a 900 MW gas-fired plant using imported liquefied natural gas<\/a>. It also agreed<\/a> to buy coal power from Laos, requiring construction of a transmission line <\/a>through the heart<\/a> of Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary, one of Cambodia\u2019s last dense forests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Prime Minister Hun Manet in 2023 pledged<\/a> not to approve any new coal plants and committed to increasing Cambodia\u2019s share of clean power to 70% by 2030, up from 62% at the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Duguet believes the country\u2019s shift toward renewables is driven by global pressure<\/a> to reach net-zero emissions, and pressure from garment industry buyers to curtail emissions from production. \u201cThe largest employer [sector] in the country has signed three letters over the years to the government saying, \u2018We need to decarbonise our energy and lower the cost of electricity\u2019,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After measuring wind speeds<\/a> and filing a pre-feasibility survey, The Blue Circle signed a power purchase agreement with state utility Electricite du Cambodge<\/a>, and will begin construction in 2027, Duguet added. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Each of the six wind developers has a 150 MW allocation in Mondulkiri, but few public details have been announced about the scope or construction timeline of the projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n HK Oasis Power Energy Development Co. Ltd. SchneiTec and Leader Energy, as well as a company director representing HK Oasis, did not respond when contacted by Dialogue Earth about the scope and feasibility of their projects, as well as what environmental and social protections they would take. Indochina Wind Power has been contacted for comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rizzetti of EnergyLab Asia said that Cambodia could benefit from competitive wind energy development in general, attracting international expertise to help fill technical knowledge gaps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in Cambodia said it was called in to the Mondulkiri provincial environment department to provide \u201cscientific guidance\u201d on one wind farm project in April. The organisation did not name the company but said the development would overlap with a WCS conservation project area in Mondulkiri\u2019s Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhile turbine sites have been positioned to utilise existing roads as much as possible; we understand that some limited clearing may still be necessary,\u201d the spokesperson said in a statement. \u201cWe therefore strongly encourage transparent discussions about planned activities and restoration strategies following any necessary clearing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Residents too have highlighted a lack of transparency regarding the wind developments in the province. In Pu Treng village, which is in a separate commune several dozen kilometres from Laoka village, one resident noticed three towering structures, built without explanation, since May.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The woman, speaking anonymously, said she had asked around and learned that a Chinese company called Beijing Fengguang Infinite Wind Energy was building stations to develop wind power. Many of the people in the village are farmers, and the woman expressed concern that the project may be constructed on land that is part of their rotational agriculture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOnly a minority of people in the community are aware, and the majority of them remain uninformed,\u201d she said. \u201cNow, problems are starting to arise, and I seriously fear for what might happen in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Him Udom, a director of Beijing Fengguang, told Dialogue Earth via messaging app Telegram that his company has not yet begun construction, and would not start until January 2027, with plans for completion in January 2029. He said the location was not yet confirmed, and added that the company could share more information about the project closer to the construction start date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unsure how the land would be affected, the resident claims she learned from asking on-site workers and local officials that the unknown project could impact more than 6,000 hectares. She also heard there would be construction of at least eight more towers \u2013 which she thought would be turbines \u2013 and that developers would want buffer zones around them. These details could not be confirmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf the [turbines] are installed, it will affect all the farmland we rely upon for growing rice, cassava, rubber, and other crops,\u201d the woman said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ty Sophal, director of the Mondulkiri provincial Department of Mines and Energy, told Dialogue Earth that five wind power projects are underway, but declined to share company names or explain why he said there were five rather than six wind farms as announced by the National Assembly. He said environmental impact assessments were in progress, so detailed information such as the specific impact and the size of the area that may affect communities cannot yet be confirmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sophal added that wind power developments are expected to be completed by 2027. Duguet, of The Blue Circle, had a more modest prediction, saying his company should be able to reach its \u201ccommercial operation date\u201d \u2013 when it could start selling power to Electricite du Cambodge \u2013 in 2028.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Duguet claims his company is minimising the impact on nearby residents by building mainly on an existing rubber plantation, as well as a smaller portion of Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary that is zoned for \u201csustainable use\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI believe we\u2019re the only one of the six [companies] who have this agreement with concession holders so we can be sure that no one is moving there and building their houses there,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mondulkiri is home to several protected areas and species, including endangered migratory birds that could be impacted by the installation of wind turbines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The WCS spokesperson that as part of its assessment for the unnamed company it offered several solutions to prevent birds and bats from being harmed by the turbines. These included installing ultrasonic deterrents detectable by bats, painting blades with high-visibility colours or designs, installing low-impact lighting on the turbines, and turning turbines off during peak migration seasons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The spokesperson added that if the company followed these recommendations, \u201cthe project is unlikely to pose significant risks to priority bird species, including the critically endangered giant ibis and vulnerable lesser adjutant stork, as key nesting habitats and migratory routes fall outside the proposed project\u2019s impact area\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But Nary said she has already seen impacts, such as the disappearance of monkeys, pileated gibbons and peacocks following the new road construction in Laoka village.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Pu Treng village resident echoed her concern, adding that she was not the only community member who felt blindsided by the new wind project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She said local officials at a community meeting explained there would be compensation offered, but she didn\u2019t feel that was sufficient and asked for a better explanation of where the project would be installed and what the impacts would be on their land and rights to usage. Nary told Dialogue Earth that she had yet to receive a response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey [the company] have started installing [equipment]. The community is not happy,\u201d she said. \u201cA whole community is affected because the forest holds significant \u2018common belief\u2019 for the people,\u201d she explained, referring to Bunong people\u2019s use of the forest for both livelihoods and burial rites.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Cambodia hopes wind farms can help solve its growing power needs, but opaque plans have left the Bunong people worried for their sacred land <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3752,"featured_media":60096077,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[757,50039902],"tags":[511,17073,555,559,13023],"hashtags":[],"country":[20029278],"class_list":["post-60096060","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-energy","category-forests","tag-biodiversity","tag-energy-transition","tag-indigenous-peoples","tag-land-rights","tag-wind","country-cambodia"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHigh-tech energy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The broader energy strategy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Approved wind projects (as of the May 2025 National Assembly meeting)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>
A Hong Kong-based firm<\/a>, according to news coverage, but the associated company in Cambodia could not be found in the Ministry of Commerce\u2019s business registry<\/a>. According to reports, it is represented by Wang Junwei, a name listed as director for three different Chinese firms on the registry (China Datang Overseas Investment Co. Ltd.; C.H.D. (Cambodia) Hydropower Development Co. Ltd.; Cambodian Power Grid Co. Ltd.). It is unclear whether any of the listings under this name represent the same person.
SchneiTec Co. Ltd.
<\/strong>
A Cambodian \u201cspecial purpose company\u201d managing several electricity assets and projects in the country. Notably, it is constructing the 299km, 500-kilovolt power transmission line<\/a> through Cambodia\u2019s Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary, and has partnered with Chinese energy companies, including CHINT Global<\/a>, to develop projects in Cambodia. The company recently announced the issuance of a USD 50 million bond to fund solar power growth<\/a>.
Indochina Wind Power Co. Ltd.
<\/strong>
A subsidiary of TPC Power Holding Public Company Limited<\/a>, a power developer listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand.
Leader Wind Energy (Cambodia) Co. Ltd.
<\/strong>
A subsidiary of Malaysian firm Leader Energy. The company has previously installed and invested in one small solar farm and several transmission line projects<\/a> in provincial Cambodia. The Mondulkiri allocation would mark the firm\u2019s first wind project.
Kouprey Windfarm Co. Ltd.
<\/strong>
The Cambodia-based wind project of The Blue Circle, a Singapore-based firm with wind developments in Vietnam.
Beijing Fengguang Infinite Wind Energy Co. Ltd.
<\/strong>
A company led by Chinese and Cambodian directors, which according to the commerce ministry\u2019s directory also together hold a real estate company in Cambodia\u2019s Svay Rieng province. The company is set to begin construction in January 2027, according to a company director.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\nA foggy outlook in Mondulkiri<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Mondulkiri-Protected-Forest-Cambodia_Global-Water-Forum_Flickr_7bd4262632.jpg\")
<\/div>Biodiversity at risk?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/A-Great-Hornbill-in-flight-Seima-Protected-Forest-Mondulkiri-Cambodia_Johnny-Madsen_Alamy_J0DJ0K.jpg\")
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