MUSCAT : Oman’s clean-energy ambitions are moving beyond power generation into manufacturing with major solar and wind facilities planned for SOHAR Freezone and Duqm. OPAZ highlighted the connection between industrial investment, reliable electricity and everyday services at the recent Charging the City roundtable in Shanghai.

Yarub Al Siyabi, Investor Relations Specialist at the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones & Free Zones (OPAZ) joined energy specialists and city planners at the event. The discussion focused on how cities can expand cleaner power systems to meet rising demand from homes, industry and essential services such as air conditioning, water supplies, hospitals, phone networks and transport.

“Investment gives us the platform to build a stronger energy system,” said Al Siyabi. “When renewable power, battery storage and major industrial users are planned alongside the wider electricity grid they help support the services people rely on every day, including water, healthcare, communications and transport. That is the wider value we want these investments to create.”

Oman generated 50.97 terawatt hours of electricity in 2025. Grid connected renewables provided 9.46% of supply, or more than 4 million megawatt hours. Raising that share to the national target of 30% by 2030 would more than triple renewables contribution in five years. Alongside new generating plants the build out will require grid connections, storage and technical services. Oman also aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

That expansion gives Oman an opening to manufacture more of the equipment entering its power system. Solar modules turn sunlight into electricity, wind towers and components go into the turbines that harness wind. Local production is intended to bring supply chains closer to new developments, strengthen maintenance capability and retain a larger share of project spending through Omani jobs and contracts.

Solar is the larger of the two manufacturing investments. JA Solar is developing a solar cell and module plant on SOHAR Freezone valued at RO217.3 million (US$565.2mn) with annual capacity of 6 gigawatts of solar cells and 3 gigawatts of solar modules. Manah I and Manah II each have 500 megawatts of capacity. At rated output, one year of module production would be enough for six projects of that scale, positioning the plant to serve domestic developments and export customers.

Duqm adds the wind manufacturing component. The Mawarid Turbine wind turbine manufacturing project developed by Mawarid Turbine Company on the Special Economic Zone at Duqm is valued at RO70 million (US$182.1mn). It is planned in two phases, beginning with turbine components followed by turbine towers. Oman announced in 2025 that several renewable projects with more than 2,000 megawatts of combined capacity are due to begin production by the end of 2027 with wind taking a prominent role. Located beside Port of Duqm, the factory is intended to supply that program and export components. Its two phase development also opens up opportunities for Omani technicians and local suppliers to join the wind industry value chain.

The two investments total RO287.3 million (US$747.2mn) and position Oman to serve a rapidly expanding international market. Global electricity demand increased by 3% in 2025, driven by industry, cooling, household appliances, electric transport and data centres. Renewable technologies accounted for 85.6% of new power capacity added worldwide, including 510 gigawatts of solar and 159 gigawatts of wind. This growth is prompting equipment buyers to broaden their manufacturing networks and seek production centres with efficient ports and access to multiple markets.

Oman is targeting both its domestic project pipeline and export markets across the Gulf, Asia and Africa. Competitive costs and efficient logistics can support sales with Omani technicians and suppliers retaining more of the value in country. OPAZ’s industrial land, port access and infrastructure are central to that offer. However, that industrial offer has to connect with the electricity system. Al Siyabi said early coordination between government bodies, investors, electricity companies and industrial operators aligns land, grid connections and infrastructure. The result is intended to be dependable power for daily services, along with skilled employment, contracts for Omani SMEs and locally made products for regional and global markets.