SOHAR Port and Freezone recently entered into a land lease agreement with Shell Development Oman (SDO), in order to tap into the Sultanate’s renewable energy potential. This means that businesses in the SOHAR Freezone could be powered by solar photovoltaic (PV) projects instead of gas.
SOHAR will allocate 600-hectares of land for solar plants under development, with capacities varying from 10MW up to 40MV. The pioneering project of 25MW will be providing dedicated supply to Al Tamman Indsil Ferrochrome LLC, and the whole development will establish long lasting economic value for the nation and the companies within the Freezone.
Commenting on the upcoming collaboration, Mark Geilenkirchen, CEO of SOHAR Port and Freezone, said:
Sustainability is one of our key values in driving development at SOHAR and this partnership with Shell will create solar powered solutions that are the first-of-its-kind in the country. This also marks an incredible milestone and the first step in our proactive long-term programme, that we have already begun implementing, to transform our 4,500-hectare development into a ‘green Freezone’
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In addition, Chris Breeze, Shell Oman Country Chairman, mentioned that these solar PV projects will free up natural gas resources for better economic use, support the green agenda of the Sohar freezone, and enable further economic development in Sohar, by unlocking large scale solar opportunities.
Moreover, according to Anindya Das, CFO of Al Tamman Indsil Ferrochrome LLC, the new solar plant will reinforce the use of eco-friendly methods to carry out all activities.
Bilateral relations between Oman and the Netherlands have been fruitful for many centuries and are cemented at the highest levels. We believe that there is a vast potential for further developing our excellent cooperation, by jointly looking for smart, innovative solutions on the nexus of water, energy and food, and in tandem with our strong cooperation in logistics
H.E. Laetitia van Asch, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the Sultanate of Oman, stated.
She also added that in order to make full use of the sustainable synergies between water efficiency, renewable energy and energy efficiency, and food security, a report will be presented on the opportunities in these areas in Oman.
