Cambodia covers approximately 181,035square kilometres in the south-western part of the Indochina peninsula. It lies completely within the tropics; its southernmost points are only slightly more than 10° above the equator. Roughly square in shape, the country is bounded on the north by Thailand and by Laos, on the east and southeast by Vietnam, and on the west by the Gulf of Thailand and by Thailand. Much of the country's area consists of rolling plains. Dominant features are the large, almost centrally located, Tonle Sap (Great Lake) and the Mekong River, which traverses the country from north to south. Two mountains ranges of note include the Dangret range on its northern border with Thailand, and the Cardamom range in the west. The country’s highest point is Phnum Aoral - 1,810 m located in the Cardamon mountains while the lowest point is theGulf of Thailand - 0 m. The Cambodian coastline stretches for 443 km.

Cambodia is one of the least developed countries, with an estimated 34.1% of the population, located mainly in rural areas, living on less than US$1 per day. No accurate and updated data are available on energy consumption in the country. However, based on different studies, two main observations can be made on the energy situation in Cambodia: first, biomass, fuelwood in particular, satisfies more than 85% of the total energy demand at the country level, and second, more than 80% of the total energy consumption is in the domestic sector. The daily fuelwood consumption per household is estimated to be between 6.0 and 7.6 kg per day. Grid electricity access is limited to Phnom Penh and some municipalities, accessed by only 15% of the Cambodian households (9% of rural households). In rural areas, the source of electricity for more than 50% of rural Cambodians is lead acid batteries. There are also more than 1,000 rural electricity enterprises (REEs) providing electricity through mini-grids powered by diesel generators.

The high reliance on fuelwood impacts health (indoor air pollution), poverty (time wasted gathering fuelwood, medical expenses), and environment (deforestation, land exhaustion).

Biodigester use

Biogas plants provide multiple benefits at the household, local, national and global level. These benefits have a clear impact on gender, health, poverty, employment and environment.

For farmers, a biogas plant provides clean cooking energy, reducing the burden and time required for wood collection, cooking and cleaning of pots, all contributing to health improvement, especially for women. In addition, simple gas lamps may provide more times at night for schooling of family members or just give the comfort of a well lit home. The residue of the plant, bio-slurry, can be used as a potent organic fertiliser to enhance agricultural productivity.

To make a domestic, high quality, biodigester economical feasible, a minimum of 20 kg animal and/or human waste is needed on a daily basis. About 25% of the rural population in Cambodia has the technical potential to install a biodigester.

Governments have macro-economic interests that may render biogas technology an interesting option in overall development plans. On a national scale, a substantial number of working biogas systems will help reduce deforestation, increase agricultural production, raise employment, and substitute imports of fossil fuels and fertilisers.