Oman to start work on six renewable projects this year

Oman will commence work on up to six new renewable projects this year, as the Gulf state aims to increase green energy’s contribution to 30 percent of total electricity generation by 2030.

The wind projects will be at across various locations in the country, mainly in Al Wusta and Dhofar governorates, energy and minerals minister Salim Nasser Al Aufi told state-run Oman News Agency.

The projects are expected to begin production by the end of 2027, generating more than 2,000 megawatts (MW), he said.

The ministry is also collaborating with Nama Group and the Authority for Public Services Regulation to explore the latest methods for storing renewable energy in the country.

Al Aufi said an announcement on the sultanate’s first renewable energy storage project will be made soon.

The renewable initiatives will strengthen Oman’s transition to green energy and create multiple opportunities for industries reliant on clean and sustainable power.

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Oman has already launched the Manah 1 and Manah 2 renewable energy plants, which have a combined capacity of around 1,000MW. Initial results indicate that each plant is producing over 500MW, exceeding expectations, the report said.

In April, Oman signed a deal with a Chinese company to develop a sizeable solar power plant in the north of the country. The $564 million solar farm will be wholly funded by China’s JA Solar and will be built in the Sohar Freezone with a production capacity of 6 gigawatt annually over a site of 33 hectares.

The HyDuqm green hydrogen project in Oman, led by a consortium of France’s Engie and South Korea’s Posco, expects to attract $7 billion to $8 billion in investment to reach full capacity.