Solar Wadi’s 500 MWp Renewable Energy Goal: What It Means for Investors and Businesses in Oman’s Green Energy Market
MUSCAT, DECEMBER 20 — Solar Wadi, a leading independent renewable energy company in Oman, aims to develop approximately 500 MWp of cumulative renewable energy capacity over the next three years. This initiative supports the Sultanate’s decarbonisation goals across industrial, commercial, and government sectors.
David Kennedy, CEO of Solar Wadi, highlighted the company’s largest ongoing project: a 93 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant being developed in Suhar Industrial City. Scheduled to begin commercial operations by mid-2026, this plant is expected to supply around 40% of the energy needs for tenants in the industrial city. It will also serve as a model for decarbonising other industrial zones managed by the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (Madayn).
Kennedy stated, “Our current pipeline includes a 93 MW solar PV project in Suhar Industrial City, with plans to deliver nearly 500 MWp of renewable capacity over the next three years. Beyond Suhar, the total development pipeline exceeds 1 GW.”
The company’s long-term vision is to replicate the Suhar model across all 15 industrial cities overseen by Madayn. Smaller cities such as Nizwa and Sur may require up to 30 MW each, while larger hubs like Al Rusayl could demand as much as 60 MWp. Overall, Madayn’s portfolio could need around 300 MWp of solar capacity, according to Kennedy’s interview with The Energy Year, a UK-based international business news outlet.
Solar Wadi, a fully Omani-owned subsidiary of the government-backed Naqaa Sustainable Energy, is also exploring opportunities to facilitate the energy transition for large industrial consumers, including steel and aluminium producers, whose power needs range from 1 to 50 MW. Several smaller projects totaling around 5 MWp are already in progress, including installations at Oman Data Park and the Arab Open University in Muscat. An additional 5 to 10 MWp of commercial and industrial projects are expected by early 2026.
Kennedy emphasized that Solar Wadi’s plants can typically meet approximately 40% of power requirements for continuously operating industrial facilities and up to 60% for those operating only during the day. He noted, “This capability is vital for exporters to the EU and the US, where carbon taxes are increasingly being enforced. Reducing carbon footprints is both an environmental responsibility and an economic necessity.”
He also underscored Solar Wadi’s commitment to Omanisation and fostering national capabilities aligned with Oman Vision 2040. “We prioritize local content and build local capacity while adhering to international best practices. Given that renewable energy is still an emerging sector in Oman, we collaborate with experienced international EPC contractors on larger projects and work closely with local EPCs and suppliers to facilitate knowledge transfer. Our goal is to eventually source the majority of our materials and services domestically, an approach critical to creating a self-sustaining renewable energy industry in Oman,” Kennedy explained.
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Solar Wadi’s ambitious plan to develop 500 MWp of renewable capacity in the next three years, anchored by projects like the 93 MW plant in Suhar Industrial City, signals a major shift towards sustainable industrial energy use in Oman. This creates significant opportunities for businesses to reduce carbon costs, especially those exporting to carbon-regulated markets in the EU and US, positioning renewables as both an environmental and economic imperative. Smart investors and entrepreneurs should consider tapping into Oman’s growing renewable infrastructure, local content incentives, and partnerships fostering national capabilities aligned with Oman Vision 2040 for long-term growth.
