MUSCAT: Oman based conglomerate, Khimji Ramdas (KR), has announced a strategic partnership with Nafath Renewable Energy, a leading SME in renewable energy sector to design, develop, install and commission solar energy systems in Oman.

The partnership signing ceremony was held at the Sheraton Oman Hotel on Tuesday to announce the installation of Oman’s first large-scale 1MW rooftop solar PV system.

Speaking on the occasion, Nailesh Khimji, director, Khimji Ramdas said, “Solar energy in Oman is at the cusp of massive expansion with the government clearing the decks for a production of electricity from multitude of installations through the Sahim 2 initiative.

“We at Khimji Ramdas in collaboration with Nafath Renewable Energy dedicate our efforts in moving the business to the most efficient frontier and help establish a long term, respectable, capacity that will efficiently utilise the abundant solar energy that our country is blessed with.”

An initial project will be executed in Barka involving retrofitting a few thousand tier-1 solar PV modules covering an area greater than 5,000sq m. The solar plant shall be able to feed any excess energy generated back to the grid following Sahim 2 initiative under the Authority for Electricity Regulation (AER).

The plant is expected to generate 1,700MWh of clean energy per year, serving as a small contribution to Oman’s target of 30 per cent renewables penetration by 2030. The plant shall be able to reduce 1,460 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.

Abdulla Nasser al Saidi, CEO, Nafath Renewable Energy said, “We are delighted to be partnering with KR to jointly develop the solar market in Oman. With this signature project we intend to showcase our design and execution capability that will go a long way to further the expansion of solar energy in Oman.”Abdulla Nasser al Saidi, CEO, Nafath Renewable Energy said, “We are delighted to be partnering with KR to jointly develop the solar market in Oman. With this signature project we intend to showcase our design and execution capability that will go a long way to further the expansion of solar energy in Oman.”

This initiative falls in line with KR’s vision of building national capability and promoting SMEs to compete in the global market.

Ravi Kumar Dhulipala, chief operating officer, KR Infrastructure Group said, “Solar power has become an increasingly popular source of renewable energy due to its advanced technology, wider market reach and cost-competitiveness.”

Dhulipala added, “Global data shows that more solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity is being installed than any other generation technology. We will strive to put all our marketing efforts to systematically maximise the value transfer that caters to a specific customer segment.”