MUSCAT: Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) opened its Sustainable Energy Research Centre Laboratory on Sunday, a facility of about 774 square metres built with an investment of nearly RO 1.5 million under a strategic partnership between the university and Oxy Oman. The opening was held under the auspices of Eng Salim bin Nasser al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals.
The laboratory comprises specialised research units for alternative fuels, energy materials, energy efficiency, thermal energy, and carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) and hydrogen, along with a modelling and simulation laboratory for smart grids and renewable energy systems and a dedicated studio for training and capacity building. It is intended to provide a platform for developing technologies and solutions in sustainable energy and to support cooperation between academic and industrial institutions.
The Ministry of Energy and Minerals, represented by the Oman Sustainability Centre, and SQU also signed an agreement to run the second edition of the "Kafa'a" (Efficiency) training programme over three years. The agreement was signed by Eng Salim bin Nasser al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals, and HH Sayyid Dr Fahd bin Al Julanda al Said, Vice-Chancellor of SQU. It aims to train 275 participants in energy auditing and 20 in measurement and verification, and to incubate at least three national teams of four members each, supporting them to develop solutions and services and set up startups specialising in energy efficiency.
The first edition of the programme ran for six training weeks with 50 male and female trainees. It covered the fundamentals of energy auditing, field application and preparation for the Certified Energy Auditor (CEA) examination awarded by the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE), and 38 participants obtained the certification, a success rate of 76 per cent.
Al Aufi said investing in scientific research, innovation and national capacity building was a strategic pillar for developing the energy sector and enhancing its competitiveness and sustainability, stressing the importance of integrating the efforts of government, academic and private sector institutions. The laboratory and the renewal of the Kafa'a agreement connected scientific research with practical application and qualified Omani talent to use research outputs in creating new investment and economic opportunities, he said, enhancing entrepreneurship and in-country value while raising energy efficiency and reducing emissions in support of Oman Vision 2040 and the target of Net-Zero emissions by 2050.
Prof Amer bin Saif al Hinai, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Postgraduate Studies and Research at SQU, said the laboratory has extended the work of the Sustainable Energy Research Centre since its establishment in 2017. The centre has carried out around 61 research projects and attracted research funding of about RO 2.39 million, of which industry and external entities contributed about RO 1.95 million. It has published nearly 100 research papers indexed in the Scopus database, receiving more than 2,100 citations, and has helped qualify more than 300 people in various energy fields.
The laboratory would give researchers and trainees access to specialised equipment and technologies to develop their scientific and practical skills, supporting the transfer of knowledge into practical applications that serve the sector's needs, Al Hinai said.
Eng Mohsin al Jabri, Director-General of the Oman Sustainability Centre, said expanding energy efficiency projects required a national base of specialised expertise and services, and that the Kafa'a programme supported this by linking qualification with implementation needs and enhancing the ability of Omani talent to provide economically viable solutions with measurable impact in reducing consumption and emissions. Renewing the partnership with SQU would support the development of a national energy efficiency services sector, he added.
The second edition combines theoretical knowledge and practical application, from the fundamental concepts and professional standards of energy auditing through field training, consumption data analysis and the evaluation of system and equipment performance, to preparing participants for certified professional credentials. It also includes qualification in the Certified Measurement and Verification Professional (CMVP) field to develop skills in measuring and verifying energy savings, and an incubation programme offering national teams technical and commercial guidance and support in developing business models. — ONA
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