MUSCAT : Oman’s Ministry of Energy and Minerals has issued a policy requiring institutions with high energy consumption to designate qualified Omani energy efficiency officers, seeking to reduce waste, cut operating costs and support the country’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

The officers will monitor energy consumption, analyse data, identify opportunities to improve efficiency and oversee the implementation of related plans and initiatives, state news agency ONA reported.

The Oman Net Zero Centre will issue regulations setting out the policy’s scope, implementation requirements and procedures. The announcement did not specify consumption thresholds or an implementation timetable.

Energy and Minerals Minister His Excellency Salim bin Nasser Al Aufi said efforts to expand electricity production and diversify energy sources must be accompanied by effective management of demand to strengthen energy security and support sustainable economic growth.

The policy aims to make energy management an institutional responsibility by placing qualified national personnel in charge of tracking consumption and identifying potential savings, he said.

Its success would depend on the commitment of management at the institutions covered and on incorporating energy efficiency into operating plans and investment decisions, Al Aufi added.

He said the policy’s benefits would extend beyond reducing consumption to improving the efficiency of the national economy, maximising the value of energy resources, lowering carbon emissions and developing specialised Omani expertise.

The initiative forms part of the ministry’s efforts to improve energy management across sectors and advance the economic and environmental objectives of Oman Vision 2040.

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