Oman unveils green hydrogen strategy

Oman has unveiled its new climate commitment and green hydrogen strategy, state-owned Oman News Agency reported on October 23. The country plans to produce 1mn metric tons/year of green hydrogen by 2030.

The country has committed to reaching net zero emissions in 2050 and plans to set up Oman Sustainability Centre. The centre will be the leading body undertaking the supervising and follow-up plans and programmes of carbon neutrality.

“Oman is committed to decarbonise and help the world decarbonise. The pathway to net zero is an opportunity for Oman to create economic value, increase industrial competitiveness and attract investments to help diversify and strengthen the country’s economy,” Salim bin Nasser Al Aufi, Oman’s minister of energy and minerals, said.

The minister added that green hydrogen is a key vector that enables Oman to pursue its decarbonisation, economic and energy security objectives.

“With the abundant renewable energy resources Oman is blessed with and with the appropriate structuring of the sector, Oman is positioned as one of the most attractive nations to produce green hydrogen competitively and at large-scale,” he said.

To lead the country’s green hydrogen strategy, the government has established HYDROM, a fully owned autonomous subsidiary of Energy Development Oman SAOC.

Regulated by the ministry of energy and minerals, HYDROM’s mandate includes the delineation of government-owned land areas and the structuring of associated large-scale green hydrogen projects, managing the process for their allocation to developers as well as facilitating the development of common infrastructure and connected ecosystem industries and hubs in close collaboration with the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones.

Next month HYDROM will be opening a first public bid round aimed at awarding the first land blocks by 2023 to meet the 2030 production target, Oman New Agency reported.