Land-based knowledge will be used to assess the viability of long-term wind projects in Oman
The windswept coastal parts of Sadah in Dhofar governorate and Ras Madrakah in Al Wusta governorate are being assessed for their potential to host wind farm projects as part of the Oman government’s push to increase the contribution of renewable energy resources to the country’s electric power generation capacity. .
This is in addition to parts of Duqm (Al Wusta Governorate) and Jalaan Bani Bu Ali (South Al Sharqiyah Governorate), which have already been ready for new investments in wind energy projects in the Sultanate of Oman.
The identity of locations for wind farm growth, as well as solar energy allocations, is part of the mandate of Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP), which is the sole buyer of all power generation and water allocation.
OPWP, which is a component of the Nama Group, says it has made progress in its efforts to assess wind resources. “OPWP effectively completed Phase I of the Wind Resource Assessment Monitoring Stations at the Duqm (SEZAD) and Jalaan Bani Bu Ali sites and effectively commissioned Phase II in November 2021 at the Ras Madrakah and Sadah sites. The new stations will continue to gather knowledge for at least a year. The land-based knowledge will be used to assess the feasibility of long-term wind projects in Oman. It is a component of the implementation of the renewable energy progression plan,” the electric power customer said in its recently released 2021 annual report.
Gathering comprehensive knowledge about wind resources is key to the bankability of any wind project, the state procurement entity says. According to parent organization Nama Group, the developer qualification procedure for the proposed wind projects in Duqm and Jalaan Bani Bu Ali could begin. This year.
Oman’s only commercial-scale wind farm is recently in operation in Harweel, in Dhofar governorate. Operated through the Rural Areas Electricity Company (Tanweer), which is also part of the Nama Group, the 50 MW, 13-turbine wind farm went live in 2019, helping the government rely on gas-based generation.
The sector’s regulator, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (APSR), already has a regulatory framework in place to allow the generation and consumption of electricity from renewable energy sources.
Oman aims for a 10% renewable energy contribution to its electricity desires by 2025, reaching 39% by 2040.
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