MUSCAT: The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has pledged to provide the Sultanate of Oman with technical and policy support as it embarks on a strategy to develop energy storage capacity in line with its national energy transition goals.
The Abu Dhabi-headquartered intergovernmental organisation announced, to this end, that it is hosting a key workshop in collaboration with Oman’s Ministry of Energy and Minerals. Scheduled to take place on April 14, 2026, the workshop will explore the growing role of energy storage systems in supporting the integration of renewable energy and enhancing power system flexibility.
The move comes as Oman positions energy storage as a critical enabler of its broader renewable energy transition. Just last week, the Authority for Public Services Regulation (APSR) identified battery energy storage systems (BESS) as one of three strategic initiatives, alongside continuous renewable energy production and demand response management, among its priorities for advancement in 2026. BESS, along with other storage technologies, is key to balancing intermittency and optimising dispatch.
Highlighting the significance of its collaboration with Oman on energy storage, IRENA said: “As solar and wind generation expand globally, energy storage is becoming a key enabler of reliable, resilient and flexible electricity systems. Storage technologies help address the variability of renewable energy by balancing supply and demand in real time, storing excess electricity when generation exceeds demand and releasing it when needed. This capability allows power systems to integrate higher shares of variable renewable energy while maintaining grid stability and reliability”.
The workshop, the agency explained, will examine global trends in energy storage deployment, covering market dynamics, cost competitiveness and the expanding role of storage in renewable energy projects. It will also showcase emerging innovations and applications across the sector, including standalone systems, behind-the-meter solutions, and new technologies shaping future energy systems.
Sessions will further address key policy principles and strategic considerations for building national energy storage frameworks, such as target setting, regulatory models, incentives, and priority areas along the value chain. Bringing together government representatives, regulators, industry experts and private sector stakeholders, the workshop seeks to support Oman’s energy transition and enhance its ability to integrate higher levels of renewable energy while maintaining a reliable and sustainable power system, the global body added.
Significantly, energy storage is beginning to be embedded within utility-scale renewable schemes, marking a shift from pilot concepts to integrated deployment. The landmark Ibri III solar IPP, currently under implementation, combines 500 MW of solar capacity with a 100 MWh BESS — widely seen as Oman’s first utility-scale solar-plus-storage project and a template for future developments.
Beyond grid-scale lithium-ion-based BESS, various international players, together with their local partners, are evaluating an array of other long-duration energy storage technologies for deployment in Oman.
Under active consideration is the CO₂ Battery developed by Energy Dome, which is being advanced in Oman through a partnership with Takhzeen. Also on Oman’s radar is pumped-storage hydropower using existing dams.
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