Oman’s Authority for Public Services Regulation (APSR) is lining up nine projects including in renewable energy and water, Times of Oman reported on Monday. APSR also aims for 3 GW of solar energy production by 2030 as well as planned wind energy projects. Oman is targeting net zero emissions by 2040.

The projects: The outlined projects include adding a water purification and energy storage facility to the Wadi Dayqah Dam, conducting feasibility studies for geothermal energy, and converting waste to energy and biofuel. The Duqm and Misfah natural gas power plants will also incorporate hydrogen and solar energy stations will be added to health and educational facilities. The APSR will work on developing energy transfer frameworks after analyzing energy supply competition.

The numbers don’t lie: Oman is ramping up its decarbonization efforts, with renewables increasing to 9% of total energy production last year and transmission network reliability reaching 99.9%, Times of Oman reported. The country reached 736 MW of renewable energy capacity in 2024.

REMEMBER- Oman introduced last month a new national policy to regulate renewable power self-generation in a bid to increase renewable energy adoption and as part of its gradual transition to a fully liberalized electricity market. The Gulf country also inaugurated the 1 GW Manah 1 and Manah 2 solar projects in January.

IN OTHER REGIONAL RENEWABLES UPDATES-

Iraq pursues its first wind energy project: Iraq’s National Investment Commission will finalize this year a feasibility study for the country’s first wind energy project at a capacity of 500 MW in 2025, commission spokesperson Hanan Jassim told the Iraqi News Agency on Monday. The timeline and investment ticket of the project have not been disclosed.

WtE is advancing too: Construction on Baghdad’s first 100 MW waste-to-energy project — awarded to China’s Shanghai Company last month — will commence soon. The project was reportedly set to begin construction earlier this month at a cost of some USD 497 mn, Asharq Business reported last month.

Where’s the money coming from? The commission has raised USD 63 bn in foreign funding in addition to USD 27 bn in local investments in a bid to fund a series of projects in 2025, Jassim added. The projects, including the wind plant and WtE facilities, are expected to reel in some USD 150 mn in revenues annually.

The latest in a wave of Iraqi renewables: Iraq’s government granted land to France’s TotalEnergies to establish a 1 GW solar plant and PowerChina to establish a 750 MW solar plant in a 2023 agreement. TotalEnergies’ CEO announced that the company will begin operations of the project’s first phase in 2025.

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