Oman expands solar energy with 1.5 GW tenders and new community-level program

Oman’s renewable push

Oman is looking to add some 1.5 GW in solar capacity, and has launched tenders for two utility-scale solar farms towards this end, according to state-owned Nama Power and Water Procurement Company. The projects will be developed under the country’s independent power producer model, with private-sector developers invited to finance, build and operate the facilities.

It’s part of a broader push into renewables for Muscat, which recently launched Imtidad, a community-based solar program to boost adoption of community-scale solar power — think of it as something in between household-scale and utility-scale. The program aims to open access to renewables for companies and households that are unable to install roof solar modules due to architectural and financial constraints.

The common denominator here is Oman’s framework for electricity liberalization. Oman has been gradually transitioning to a liberalized electricity market, launching back in 2022 its single-buyer electricity spot market — which currently allows Oman’s Nama Power and Water Procurement Company to purchase energy through a daily short-term market open to producers who don’t have formal power-purchase agreements with the state.

Under cyberattack

At least four Iranian banks came under cyberattacks over the past week, amid a region-wide surge in cyberthreats that preceded the onset of US-Israeli attacks on Iran. The cyberattack affected card payments, online banking and cash dispensers at Bank Melli, Bank Saderat, Bank Tejarat and the Export Development Bank of Iran.