Tender for large-scale solar rooftop rollout in first half of 2019

A tender for the installation of rooftop solar systems on an initial batch of 3,000 residential buildings in the Sultanate will be floated in the first half of 2019, the Authority for Electricity Regulation Oman (AER) announced here yesterday.

The project is part of the National Solar Energy Initiative, dubbed ‘Sahim’, which seeks to promote the use of clean energy resources in support of Oman’s energy diversification goals, said Eng Hilal al Ghaithi, Director of Customer Affairs and Sahim Project Director at the Authority.

The official made announcement at the launch the of Sahim-2, envisaging the large-scale rollout of solar rooftop photovoltaic (PV) capacity as part of the Sultanate’s push towards renewable energy resources to help meet the nation’s galloping energy requirements.

“Sahim-2 aims to drive the widescale deployment of small PV systems (3kwp – 5kwp) atop between 10 - 30 per cent of residential premises in Oman,” Al Ghaithi said.

“Unlike Sahim-1, the costs of procuring, installing, operating and maintaining Sahim-2 residential PV systems will not be paid for by customers but will be met by private sector entities who will recover related costs through contracts with licensed suppliers,” he added at a ceremony marking the Authority’s launch of the Sahim-2 solar rooftop, as well as its ‘Yaseer’ energy conservation initiatives. The launch took place under the auspices of Dr Khamis bin Saif al Jabri, Chairman of the Implementation and Followup Support Unit, at the Grand Millennium Hotel yesterday. TO