MUSCAT, APRIL 1
An overview of the Sultanate of Oman’s National Hydrogen Strategy was presented to leading French energy firms at an executive roundtable organised recently by the Global Diwan, an international business club that connects leaders from the East and the West. The event was held under the patronage of the Omani Embassy in Paris in cooperation with well-known consultancy firm Haltiqa and Club France-Oman.
France is the latest member of the European Union to evince interest in Oman’s emerging world-scale green hydrogen industry, targeting the production of at least 1 million tonnes of green hydrogen (or its derivatives) by 2030 with an investment of over $40 billion. Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands are among a number of European countries that have already embarked on strategic discussions with Oman aimed at securing a share of the latter’s green energy exports.
In attendance at the roundtable, focusing on hydrogen as the subject of bilateral cooperation between Oman and France, were representatives of top-tier companies in France’s energy and investment sectors.
Speaking at the event were Dr Abdullah al Abri, IEA Consultant and former Energy Renewal director at Petroleum Development Oman (PDO); Amir Sharifi, COO of Hy24, billed as the world’s largest clean energy investment platform; and Lionel Rabin, MD of Haltiqa Consulting.
The presenters shared their perspectives on Oman’s singular appeal as a destination for clean energy investment in light of its abundant renewable energy resources, world-class logistics and infrastructure, and advantageous investment regime.
They also underscored the potential for the localisation of industries, including those pertaining to hard-to-abate sectors, once plentiful quantities of green hydrogen or its derivatives become available in the next decade.
The delineation of 50,000 sq kilometres of land for green hydrogen development and new industries attests to the scale of Oman’s green energy ambitions, the audience was told. This acreage is distributed throughout the country, but located predominantly in solar and wind-rich Al Wusta and Dhofar Governorates.
Usufruct agreements for the first batch of green hydrogen projects, envisioning investments of around $40 billion, were signed last month, it was revealed. Further auctions of blocks for investments are lined up in Q2 of this year, with awards for another round of auctions slated by around the end of 2023.
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