Electricity in Oman in 2023/2024

From September 2023 to August 2024, Oman's electricity consumption is entirely reliant on fossil fuels, with gas making up 100% of this supply. This means that there is a complete absence of low-carbon or clean energy sources like nuclear, wind, or solar in the country's electricity mix during this period. This heavy dependence on fossil fuels raises concerns due to the associated environmental impacts, such as climate change and air pollution, which are significant issues linked to high carbon emissions from gas and similar fossil energy sources. Given Oman's current energy landscape, there is a critical need to diversify its electricity generation portfolio to include cleaner and more sustainable alternatives.

Suggestions

Oman can look to several countries for strategies to increase its low-carbon electricity generation. Learning from the examples of nations like France and Slovakia, which have successfully integrated significant portions of nuclear energy into their electricity generation (68% and 60% respectively), could guide Oman in developing a robust nuclear energy program. Additionally, considering Oman's geographical characteristics, investing in solar energy could be a feasible option, inspired by countries such as Greece and Chile, where solar contributes 22% to the electricity mix. Furthermore, integrating wind power could be explored by drawing lessons from Denmark and Lithuania, where wind comprises over half and about a third of their electricity generation, respectively. Oman can take these insights to form a balanced mixture of clean energy sources, improving energy security and reducing environmental impacts.

History

Historically, Oman has seen minimal progress in low-carbon electricity generation, particularly in solar energy. From 2013 to 2019, there were no significant changes in solar electricity generation. A slight increase occurred in 2020, with 0.2 TWh added to the grid, followed by a minor addition of 0.1 TWh in 2021. However, in 2022 and 2023, there wasn't any recorded increase in solar-generated electricity. These figures highlight that while Oman has begun exploring solar energy, developments in this field have been slow and intermittent. To enhance its electricity sustainability, Oman could benefit from a more consistent and ambitious implementation of clean energy projects, ensuring a steady shift away from fossil fuel reliance.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

Data Sources