Oman plans to build its first major wind farm at $125 million cost for fulfilling electricity demands of southern governorate of Dhofar, according to Reuters.
Oman is concentrating on developing large industrial projects and hence it is exploring the opportunity of renewable energy as fossil fuel import is very costly.
The wind farm at Harweel will produce 50 megawatts capacity, which will meet 50 percent of demand in the governorate. The plant is expected to be operational by early in 2017, according to state-owned Rural Areas Electricity (RAEC).
The project will be coordinated by Abu Dhabi Future Energy and financed by a grant from Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi. The turbines will be manufactured in a Western nation involving local contractors for major construction share.
For 2015, the company has plans for seven more renewable energy projects including five solar energy projects at a total cost of 3 million rials and two wind power plants.