SALALAH, SEPT 1
Oman is moving to connect its green hydrogen programme with a broader industrial ecosystem spanning renewable power, storage, green manufacturing and exports, as the country shifts attention from setting energy-transition targets to delivering commercially viable projects.
Eng Abdulaziz Al Shidhani, Managing Director of Hydrogen Oman (Hydrom), outlined the emerging model during a keynote presentation at the 5th Salalah Engineering Forum on Tuesday.
The approach places green hydrogen within a wider value chain beginning with solar and wind generation, supported by battery storage, and extending into industries such as green ammonia, low-carbon fuels and iron and steel.
A central element of Hydrom’s presentation was the integration of solar power, wind generation and battery storage to overcome the intermittency of renewable energy and provide more stable electricity for industrial operations.
The model is designed to combine complementary renewable resources with advanced storage to deliver more continuous power, improve system reliability and reduce the need for conventional backup generation.
This is particularly important for industries requiring reliable electricity around the clock rather than power that varies according to sunshine or wind conditions.
Hydrom also positioned green hydrogen as a potential decarbonisation tool for industries where direct electrification is difficult.
The presentation identified iron and steel, fertilisers and petrochemicals, and heavy maritime and aviation transport among the sectors where hydrogen and its derivatives could play a larger role.
Green ammonia and synthetic fuels, or e-fuels, were highlighted among potential downstream opportunities, alongside the conversion of Oman’s renewable resources into higher-value industrial products for international markets.
The approach would effectively allow Oman to export renewable energy not only as hydrogen but also through manufactured commodities produced using low-carbon energy.
Al Shidhani’s presentation also linked the strategy to Oman’s geographical position and existing industrial and logistics infrastructure, with economic and industrial zones including Duqm, Salalah and Suhar forming part of an emerging network connecting production, processing, logistics and exports.
Hydrom identified several priorities for the current phase of the transition.
These include developing contractual frameworks capable of sharing technology and market risks, strengthening national capabilities in project management, deploying engineering solutions across ports, transport, manufacturing and construction, and accelerating digital transformation.
Smart grids, data centres and digital automation were among the areas highlighted as the future energy system becomes increasingly integrated and technology-intensive.
The presentation comes as Oman’s green hydrogen programme moves into a more execution-focused phase. The latest Ministry of Energy and Minerals update says seven green hydrogen developments are progressing towards a combined production capacity of one million tonnes annually by 2030, after two earlier projects were concluded by mutual agreement following changes in market conditions.
The ministry has separately put investment associated with the first two hydrogen auction rounds at more than $44 billion, while renewable capacity supporting the hydrogen programme is projected at about 26.6 GW by 2030. These are planned investments and capacities rather than completed production.
Hydrom’s latest presentation therefore points to a broader challenge facing the next stage of Oman’s energy transition: converting large renewable resources and awarded hydrogen developments into an integrated industrial system capable of generating economic value beyond the production of hydrogen itself.
The 5th Salalah Engineering Forum is being held on September 1–2 under the theme “Energy Transition Engineering: Applied Innovations for Resilient Clean Energy Infrastructure.” It is organised by the Oman Society of Engineers in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Energy and Minerals.
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