G20 podium
Team Blitz India
NEW DELHI: Oman’s largest solar facility for a desalination plant was inaugurated by Salim bin Nasser Al-Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals.
The 17-megawatt peak (MWp) solar photovoltaic (PV) farm is dedicated to powering the Sharqiyah Desalination Plant in Sur. It has an annual capacity exceeding 32,000 megawatt-hours of clean electricity, effectively covering the plant’s daytime energy needs.
It is a collaborative effort between Veolia and TotalEnergies and marks a significant stride towards regional decarbonisation endeavours. It is anticipated to slash 27,200 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, equivalent to the emissions from around 6,000 internal combustion enginepowered vehicles. The inception of the solar plant began in August 2022, with rigorous testing taking place from March 30 to April 15, 2023.
Minister Al-Aufi, during the inaugural event, lauded the solar photovoltaic installation, underlining its pivotal role in ensuring clean drinking water for more than 600,000 residents in the Sharqiyah region. He emphasised its alignment with global energy transition objectives for a net-zero world and its significant contribution to water security in Oman. The inauguration event saw the presence of senior management from Veolia and Total Energies.
