Oman Wires It's all about Oman
During phase 1 of the project, PassivSystems is assisting AER to recognize and handle dangers, draw up robust requests for proposals, analyse legal models and refine the consumer proposition. A pilot project will see among 1,000 and three,000 properties fitted out with solar PV prior to scaling the programme to consist of a lot more than a quarter of a million properties.
“We chose PassivSystems as consultants on this project because of its extensive experience working on funded solar PV schemes,” stated Qais Saud al Zakwani, executive director, AER. “By tapping into its experience as UK market leader in managing residential rooftop PV, we are confident that we will achieve the cost and generation yield targets necessary to ensure that this programme is a success.”
The government initiative, recognized as ‘Sahim’, will use a funded ownership model that provides householders access to solar PV with minimal capital outlay, providing house owners in Oman a extended-term economic incentive to set up solar systems on their rooftops.
While the initiative is becoming led by AER, private investors will offer the capital to fund the solar scheme. With the prevalence of air conditioning in Omani properties, electrical energy demand frequently peaks throughout the day – specifically when solar energy is in a position to make the greatest contribution to meeting that demand. Solar PV will assist minimize consumers’ bills and Oman’s reliance on all-natural gas as a fuel. Deploying solar on such a wide scale has several rewards, not least the capability to defer investment in reinforcing the provide network, which would otherwise be necessary to accommodate peak energy demands, stated PassivSystems.
“This is an exciting, ambitious initiative and I applaud the sultanate for embracing renewable energy on such a broad scale,” stated Colin Calder, chief executive, PassivSystems. “We will be working closely with AER to ensure that this project moves forward from a vision to a reality based on a sound financial model,” Calder added.
A handful of years back, PassivSystems had also undertaken a nine-month scoping study for AER on residential power use along with the cooperation of Energy Institute, University College London. The study tested a variety of power saving interventions and pricing models in Omani properties and created a domestic power use model for policy evaluation whilst securing Oman’s location as a area-leader in addressing domestic power use.
Information Source: Muscat Daily
