Oman targets 1,945 MW of wind energy capacity by 2030

MUSCAT: Nama Power and Water Procurement Company (PWP), the sole offtaker of power and water output in the Sultanate of Oman, is rapidly scaling up its wind energy programme as part of Oman’s broader clean energy transition strategy, targeting a cumulative wind power capacity of 1,945 MW by 2030.

A roadmap presented recently by Nama PWP highlights a phased expansion of utility-scale wind Independent Power Projects (IPPs) across multiple governorates, positioning wind energy as a central pillar of Oman’s drive to diversify its electricity mix, cut carbon emissions and support national Net Zero ambitions.

Oman’s operational wind capacity currently stands at 50 MW, represented by the Dhofar I Wind IPP, which has been in commercial operation since 2019. The project contributes annual carbon dioxide reductions of around 47,510 tonnes.

The next major additions are already under construction and expected online from 2028 onward. These include the 100 MW JBB Wind IPP and the 125 MW Dhofar II Wind IPP. Together, these projects are projected to raise cumulative installed wind capacity to 275 MW while significantly increasing annual carbon savings.

Nama PWP’s procurement pipeline then accelerates sharply with a new batch of projects currently in the procurement phase. These comprise the 300 MW Duqm II Wind IPP and the 800 MW Mahout Wind IPP. Once operational, cumulative wind capacity is expected to surge to 1,375 MW by 2028, representing around 70 per cent of the company’s 2030 target.

Notably, the above-referenced 300 MW Duqm II Wind IPP and 800 MW Mahout Wind IPP are likely to be an integral part of the landmark Round-The-Clock Renewable Energy Project awarded recently by Nama PWP to O-Green, an Omani state-backed integrated clean energy group. As part of contract award, O-Green will develop 2.7 GW of generation capacity at Duqm and Mahout, combining solar, wind and battery storage components.

The final phase of expansion, according to Nama PWP, will come through projects presently under pre-development. These include the 220 MW Shaleem Wind IPP, the 100 MW Al Jazir Wind IPP and the 250 MW Duqm III Wind IPP. These projects are expected to push total installed wind generation capacity to 1,945 MW by 2029-2030.

The presentation also showed that annual carbon dioxide emissions reductions from wind generation are projected to climb from just under 48,000 tonnes currently to approximately 2.56 million tonnes annually by 2030, underlining the significant environmental impact of the programme.