Abu Dhabi: UAE state-owned renewable energy firm Masdar has pledged to strengthen its presence in the Omani market, notably by exploiting promising green energy opportunities promoted by the Omani government in support of its transition to a low-carbon sustainable future.
Abdulaziz Alobaidli, Chief Operating Officer, Masdar, emphasised the company’s strong interest in the Omani clean energy market given its potential as a destination for investments in renewable energy and green hydrogen production.
He explained that Masdar had previously participated in many of the tenders launched by Nama Power and Water Company (PWP) in recent years. He added that the company is currently working on improving its strategies, as well as its technical and financial proposals, to ensure its competitiveness in upcoming tenders.
He also noted that Masdar is preparing to submit bids for new tenders that are due for submission on January 28, 2025.
Speaking about the company’s relationship with Oman, Alobaidli highlighted that it began with a pioneering step—developing the first wind power plant in the Dhofar Governorate with a production capacity of 50 megawatts.
This project was executed by Masdar according to the highest global standards in the renewable energy sector and was later handed over to the relevant authorities in Oman for operation.
According to Alobaidli, the initiative reflects Masdar’s commitment to supporting Oman’s efforts to diversify its energy sources and enhance environmental sustainability.
The project also laid the foundation for further collaboration in renewable energy projects between Masdar and both public and private entities in Oman, he noted.
According to the official, intensive negotiations and discussions are currently underway between Masdar and several government and private companies in Oman to develop new projects in the green hydrogen sector—a sector gaining increasing global attention for its pivotal role in the transition to clean energy.
He affirmed that Oman is endowed with unique natural resources that make it an ideal destination for investment in this field, particularly due to its high and stable wind speeds compared to other Gulf countries. This gives Oman a competitive advantage in terms of ‘capacity factors’ or the daily energy production hours.
These natural advantages, along with advanced infrastructure and strong government support, position Oman as a regional leader in producing and exporting clean energy, especially green hydrogen, Alobaidli stated.
Masdar is keen to seize these promising opportunities to expand its investments in Oman and contribute to achieving the Sultanate of Oman’s goals of transitioning to a low-carbon economy in line with Oman Vision 2040.
Al Obaidli expressed his optimism about the future of cooperation between Masdar and the Sultanate of Oman.
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