Despite the promising pace of economic growth, the availability of electricity for consumers and businesses in poorer areas of Cambodia remains low. The prevailing sources of energy here are typically characterised by both high cost and environmental unsustainability.

The SWITCH to Solar project aims to facilitate small, medium and micro enterprises to switch from the use of non-renewable energy sources to solar energy and thus contribute to improving consumption patterns in rural areas of Cambodia. At the same time, it will promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth in rural areas by reducing the environmental impacts caused by the energy consumption of these enterprises. The project further supports Cambodia in achieving its contribution to the ASEAN Energy Cooperation Action Plan 2016-2025, under which ASEAN countries aim to achieve an overall higher share of renewable energy by 2025. The project mainly includes building local capacity through training or providing necessary assistance, as well as promoting linkages between relevant actors in the sector (solar energy providers, consumers, financial institutions), etc.

The project builds on a systematic market development approach based on inducing demand at the grassroots level and supporting the development of supply chains of solar energy providers. This approach seeks to address the root causes of the solar sector's shortcomings by working with key actors (financial institutions, investors, retailers, etc.) leading to long-term improvements and system efficiencies within the solar market.