

MUSCAT: Nama Power and Water Procurement Company (PWP), the single procurer of power and water capacity in the Sultanate of Oman, has begun publishing data from its multi-year Wind Resource Assessment (WRA) initiative, which offers a bankable set of wind data to support the development of wind-based renewable power in the country.
To date, six Project Areas - Jaalan Bani Bu Ali, Duqm 1 (SEZAD), Ras Madrakah, Ras Madrakah (new), Sadah and Mahoot – have been covered during the four-year-long assessment exercise. Many of these sites are set to host a new wave of wind-based Independent Power Projects (IPPs) currently under competitive procurement by PWP.
“PWP recognizes that a robust and detailed WRA aims to quantify wind resource potential which is not only determine the financial viability of a specific wind project, but to also assist in mapping wind resources for the country,” the state-owned procurer – part of Nama Group - said.
“By undertaking this activity on behalf of project companies/developers and well in advance of the initiation of the procurement activities for wind IPPs, PWP aims to provide a clear and accurate representation of wind resources at key wind-sites in Oman,” it further noted.
As part of the initiative, PWP installed a number of 100-metre tall meteorological masts (met masts) in the Project Areas. Fitted on these towers were a number of sensors each designed for a specific function.
The list includes Dataloggers to monitor and record environmental parameters over time, ensuring conditions are measured, documented, analysed and validated; Anemometers to measure wind speeds; Wind vanes to measure the wind directions; and Pyranometers (sensors measuring solar irradiance from a hemispherical field of view incident on a flat surface).
The met masts have yielded at least 12 months’ worth of data pertaining to each of the six Project Areas, according to PWP. This validated data is being published in phases for the benefit of potential wind power developers interested in further analyzing interpretation this resource.
Going forward, PWP says it plans to evaluate the wind potential of further sites across Oman for possible IPP projects. Additionally, it aims to use the data to run a feasibility study to advise on and guide the future development of wind power projects in Sultanate of Oman, it stated.
Significantly, as many as 16 international companies are currently participating in a competitive process leading to the award of five wind farm projects with an aggregate generation capacity of over 1 gigawatts (GW). These five projects, part of PWP’s strategy to secure 30 per cent of Oman’s electricity requirements from renewables, are planned at Jaalan Bani Bu Ali, Duqm, Mahoot, Dhofar and Sadah. Total investment in these IPPs is estimated at around RO 450 million (equivalent to about $1.2 billion).
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