HE Eng. Salim bin Nasser Al-Aufi, the Minister of Energy and Minerals, Sultanate of Oman, has inaugurated the 17-megawatt peak (MWp) solar photovoltaic (PV) farm producing green energy to power the Sharqiyah Desalination Plant in Oman’s city of Sur.
It is the largest solar system for a desalination plant in Oman with an annual capacity of over 32,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of green electricity which will cover 100 percent of the desalination plant’s consumption over the daylight period.
Developed by Veolia in partnership with TotalEnergies, the plant is a significant milestone towards decarbonization efforts in the region as it will help cut about 27,200 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year, equivalent to the emissions generated by approximately 6,000 internal combustion engine-powered vehicles over the same period.
Salim bin Nasser Al Aufi Minister of Energy & Minerals Oman
“I am glad to witness the official inauguration of this crucial solar photovoltaic facility at the Sharqiyah Desalination Plant, which serves over 600,000 inhabitants of the Sharqiyah region with clean drinking water. The solar plant aligns well with global efforts towards energy transition for a net-zero world. It will also be one of the significant contributors to water security in Oman and our National Energy Strategy, which aims to derive 30 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2030—one of the objectives of Oman Vision 2040. I commend Veolia, its partners, and everyone involved in the development of this plant for their unwavering commitment and hard work in bringing this project to fruition.”
Mr. Philippe Bourdeaux, Vice President of Africa, Near & Middle East of Veolia, said that, “We are delighted to see that our solar project has started serving its mission. This achievement would not have been possible without the support of the leadership in the Sultanate of Oman, particularly the Ministry of Energy and Minerals. We express our gratitude to them and our private sector partners for helping us join local efforts towards energy transition and decarbonization.”
“Veolia aims to be the world leader in ecological transformation. Water and renewable energy are therefore areas of major interest for the Group, and given the mounting issues related to climate change, we have developed real expertise in reducing carbon emissions in our operations and projects. In this journey, renewables play an important role in providing green energy while also ensuring an uninterrupted supply of vital resources for human consumption such as drinking water,” Mr. Bourdeaux added.
According to the statement, Veolia has worked in the Middle East for over 40 years, including over 15 years in Oman, where it operates in Muscat, Sur, Duqm, Nizwa, Sohar, Barka, Salalah, Rima and Khazzan. The Sultanate is one of Veolia’s most essential and strategic locations, where it has developed and delivered a wide range of innovative, cost-effective, and sustainable solutions while contributing to Oman’s objectives for a green and circular economy.
