Oman seeks proposals for large-scale green hydrogen projects

Oman News Agency

Hydrogen Oman SPC (Hydrom) has released the request for proposals (RFP) for the first round of its public auction process to award large-scale integrated green hydrogen projects to developers, state-run Oman News Agency reported.

The country aims to award the first land blocks in 2023 to meet its 2030 production target of at least one million tons of green hydrogen per annum.

The RFP marks a key milestone in the auction that started on November 6, 2022, with the release of the request for qualifications (RFQ).

Qualified applicants will now have two months to prepare and submit their bids, which will then be evaluated by Hydrom to award the first project by the first quarter of 2023.

Since the launch of the bid round, Hydrom has received over 180 registrations and more than 50 applicants were granted access to RFQ to date.

The first round of auctions will have two blocks in Duqm, each of around 320 sq km. According to local media reports, these are part of six blocks totaling 1,900 sq km, which will be auctioned as part of phase A of the programme.

Green hydrogen constitutes a strategic opportunity for the country to ensure its energy security and diversify its economy while supporting the decarbonisation efforts of hard-to-abate sectors both in Oman and around the world. 

Oman’s Ministry of Energy and Minerals has unveiled its ‘Green Hydrogen Strategy’, which anticipates an estimated $140 billion in investment in a new low-carbon energy industry.

The country has committed to reaching net-zero emissions in 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement’s objectives of limiting global warming to 1.5°C compared to pre-industrial levels.