Oman to host 25GW wind & solar and green hydrogen “mega project”

An international consortium, including one involved in Australia’s biggest green hydrogen project, has announced plans to develop a 25GW wind and solar project in Oman which will power the production of millions of tonnes of green hydrogen.

The consortium behind the project, already three years in the making, consists of OQ, the Sultanate of Oman’s global integrated energy company, InterContinental Energy, a leading dedicated green fuels developer which is a partner in the 24GW Asia Renewable Energy Hub in the Pilbara, and EnerTech, a Kuwait Government-backed clean energy investor and developer.

The green hydrogen sector is expected to grow into a $US12 trillion industry by 2050, according to a report published in September 2020 by investment banking giant Goldman Sachs.

Increased demand for green hydrogen has been spurred by decarbonisation plans for energy, shipping, aviation, ground transportation such as rail and trucking, and heavy industry.

Western Australia’s hydrogen industry minister Alannah MacTiernan floated the idea this week that her state could play host to as much as 100GW of new wind and solar powering green hydrogen production by 2030, a number that could double by 2040.

The Oman consortium has been conducting wind and solar monitoring analysis in the Al Wusta Governorate in Central Oman since 2019 and found that renewable power generation in the region will benefit from very high and stable levels of solar and wind energy.

According to the consortium, the Al Wusta region exhibits “the optimal diurnal profile of strong wind at night and reliable sun during the day.”

The region is also located near the coast of Oman, allowing for easy access for seawater intake and electrolysis – the chosen method of producing green hydrogen – while existing energy infrastructure in Oman provides additional future options to develop synthetic fuels for the aviation sector.

“Alternative energy is a key driver for OQ’s long-term growth and a cornerstone of its strategy,” said Salim Al Huthaili, CEO Alternative Energy at OQ.

“It is also in-line with the country’s ambitious Oman Vision 2040 that aims to diversify the nation’s resources and maximise the financial value derived. We are pleased with the progress of the project so far and look forward to continuing development in collaboration with our partners.”

The consortium also hopes that the project could support the development of Oman’s renewable energy supply chain manufacturing and expertise.

“This is a huge milestone in our mission to deliver cost competitive zero carbon fuels at unprecedented scale to meet rapidly growing global demand across sectors,” said Alicia Eastman, Co-Founder and President of InterContinental Energy.

“Only by decarbonizing fuels as well as electrons will the world reach Paris climate agreement targets and increasingly stringent commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”