MUSCAT: As crude oil prices surge in the Middle East, biofuels could be a strong contender for trucks, ships, buses and cars in the region, according to the promoters of the Sultanate of Oman’s first biodiesel refinery. Wakud, located in Khazaen Economic City, is set to scale up the commercial production and sale of local biodiesel. Their plant utilises locally collected cooking oil with its circular economy turning waste into biodiesel – the nation’s cleanest fuel. “Khazaen is proud to have managed to attract Wakud as the first SME and supporting them in bringing a world class biodiesel refinery in the Sultanate of Oman. This facility represents the future of sustainable fuels in the country and Wakud’s biodiesel can be used by consumers and organisations as a green and environmentally friendly products produced at Khazaen Economic City,” said Salim bin Sulaiman al Thuhli, Khazaen CEO “We are very excited to launch commercial operations and to see our Omani biodiesel be consumed within the country,” said Maher al Habsi, CEO – Wakud International LLC. “If Wakud’s biodiesel replaces even a small proportion of the diesel consumed within the Sultanate of Oman, it will have a tremendous impact on the nation’s carbon emissions while also retaining economic value within the country.” Wakud’s plant, is supported by Green Fuels UK, the leading providers of biodiesel technology, has a capacity to produce 7.2 million litres of biodiesel per year.
Until recently, waste cooking oil was collected for export to the GCC or Europe. Local Omani firm Modern Arabian Gulf Projects (MAGP), which has been collecting used cooking oils in the Sultanate of Oman for over 15 years and is the largest collector in the country, had signed an offtake agreement in August 2020 to supply all of its used cooking oil output to Wakud.
Wakud has a growing local client base with new partners Oman Truck, 44.01, and Masirah International committing to sustainable power for their operations this year.
“As a marine construction company, Masirah International operates heavy construction plant which consumes a significant quantity of diesel. In an effort to reduce our consumption as well as our carbon footprint we are excited to start using the biodiesel blend. We hope that this is the start of seeing biodiesel commonplace in construction works around the Sultanate of Oman, “ said Elliot Turner, Environmental Officer – Masirah International.
Biofuels are a powerful tool which can power our vehicles sustainably, helping the nation work towards decarbonisation. The use of biodiesel can reduce carbon emissions by up to 85 per cent without changes or modifications to standard diesel engines. In addition, Wakud’s biodiesel can be used as a blend (10 -20 per cent) which results in a significant emissions reduction.
Recently, a high-level official disclosed that the Sultanate of Oman has roughly 15- 20 years to achieve a transition to a greener energy alternative before anticipated natural gas shortfalls begin posing a challenge.
Maximising the availability of biofuel will help the Sultanate of Oman reach its decarbonising goals in line with the Paris agreement and Oman’s Vision 2040.
Significantly, Wakud has garnered support from local organisations be’ah, Environment Authority, Sultan Qaboos University, the Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-up Unit and Oman Development Bank.
With more biofuel providers coming into the picture in the Middle East, there is an increase in the market share. Biodiesel is already a significant source of alternative fuel in other parts of the world, including the USA, UK and Europe.
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