Oman regulator recommends 20-year FiT for rooftop solar - report

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

A senior engineer at Oman’s regulator for water and electricity has recommended the introduction of a feed-in tariff (FiT) programme to foster residential PV deployment in the Sultanate, local reports have said.

Khalil Alzidi of the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW) said that a new report produced by his department recommended the introduction of pro-renewable energy incentive mechanisms for Oman.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

“The absence of feed-in tariffs is one of the (shortcomings) that needs to be addressed if private investment in renewable energy development is to make headway in the Sultanate,” Alzidi was quoted in the Oman Observer as having said.

PAEW put together the report in collaboration with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), which aims to foster overseas development. According to the Observer, the country’s rooftops could host as much as 1.4GW of PV generation capacity, with the capital, Muscat, suitable for 450MW alone.

Despite a 2008 report on the Sultanate’s potential for renewable development prepared by another government organisation, the Authority for Electricity Regulation (AER), highlighting that the “level of solar energy density” (solar irradiance) in Oman is among the highest in the world, development has been slow to take off. A large-scale 200MW aggregation of ground-mounted projects first mooted to be the nation’s first significant solar project has been on hold since its inception in 2009, although development is thought to have resumed this year. PV Tech also reported earlier this summer on an ambitious 1,021MW solar thermal project at an oilfield.

According to the Observer’s reporting this morning, written from an interview with Alzidi, the study, which does not yet appear to have been made available, also found that FiT programmes for household rooftops should have a duration of 20 years to be viable. Only a small number of pilot rooftop projects have so far been installed in Oman.

Meanwhile, another local newspaper, the Times of Oman, reported two experts’ opinions from a conference that claimed solar power is viable for the Sultanate. At an event organised by the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE), the Times interviewed Soubhi Abdulkarim of Integrated Smart Technologies and Oman Aqua Science’s Michael Katz, who both said that more public awareness is needed of Oman’s suitability for PV development.

Read Next

September 17, 2025
US renewables developer Longroad Energy has reached financial close for its 400MW 1000 Mile solar project in the US state of Texas.
September 17, 2025
Spanish renewables developer and operator Acciona Energía has commissioned its 412MWp Juna solar PV plant in Kawani village in the western state of Rajasthan. 
September 17, 2025
Spanish IPP Velto Renewables has acquired a portfolio of 53 operational solar assets in Spain with a combined capacity of 260MW.
September 17, 2025
Struggling Swiss solar manufacturer Meyer Burger has formally entered into a debt moratorium, with the possibility of rescuing the entire group now looking unlikely.
September 17, 2025
Nexamp has secured US$350 million through a long-term financing facility to expand its 6GW utility-scale solar and battery storage pipeline in the US. 
September 17, 2025
Chinese module producer DAS Solar is planning a 5GW manufacturing facility focused on producing high-efficiency back contact cells.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
San Francisco Bay Area, USA