Study on Renewable Energy Resources, Oman - authority for ...
Study on Renewable Energy Resources, Oman - authority for ...
Study on Renewable Energy Resources, Oman - authority for ...
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<strong>Renewable</strong> <strong>Energy</strong> <strong>Resources</strong> in <strong>Oman</strong><br />
Solar energy, solar thermal plants<br />
From a l<strong>on</strong>g term perspective the theoretical potential <strong>for</strong> producing electricity<br />
using C<strong>on</strong>centrating Solar Power (CSP) systems in <strong>Oman</strong> is significant. CSP<br />
plants with storage <strong>for</strong> c<strong>on</strong>tinuous supply of electricity as c<strong>on</strong>venti<strong>on</strong>al power<br />
plants require 1 km 2 of land use <strong>for</strong> 10 MW capacity. Theoretically it would be<br />
possible to supply all of <strong>Oman</strong>'s present electricity c<strong>on</strong>sumpti<strong>on</strong> of 13,900 GWh<br />
by utilising about 280 km 2 of desert area <strong>for</strong> solar collectors, corresp<strong>on</strong>ding to<br />
around 0.1 % of the Sultanate’s land area.<br />
Wind energy, grid c<strong>on</strong>nected wind turbines<br />
The use of wind turbine capacity in a grid system is generally limited by technical<br />
c<strong>on</strong>siderati<strong>on</strong>s. If wind turbines account <strong>for</strong> a high percentage of total generating<br />
capacity, fluctuati<strong>on</strong>s in the energy output of wind turbines may adversely<br />
affect power quality in terms of frequency and voltage fluctuati<strong>on</strong>s, unless special<br />
measures are implemented to regulate wind turbine output.<br />
The present technical potential <strong>for</strong> grid c<strong>on</strong>nected wind turbines in <strong>Oman</strong> is approximately<br />
up to 50 MW, corresp<strong>on</strong>ding to 20 % of the present installed capacity<br />
of the Salalah Power System (251 MW). In 2014 commissi<strong>on</strong>ing of the new<br />
Salalah IWPP will increase the amount of generating capacity c<strong>on</strong>nected to the<br />
Salalah Power System to 580 MW and the potential wind turbine capacity will<br />
increase to around 120 MW. The interc<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong> of the Main Interc<strong>on</strong>nected<br />
System and the Salalah Power System would further increase the potential <strong>for</strong><br />
wind turbine capacity to at least 750 MW. This corresp<strong>on</strong>ds to an estimated net<br />
annual energy output of at least 2300 GWh/year.<br />
The potential <strong>for</strong> grid c<strong>on</strong>nected wind turbines would be even higher if the interc<strong>on</strong>nected<br />
system had the capacity to transmit electricity to all load centres in<br />
<strong>Oman</strong> from the southern part of the country where wind energy resources appear<br />
to be abundant.<br />
Wind energy resources are highest during the summer period which coincides<br />
with the period of peak electricity demand.<br />
Wind energy, off-grid wind turbines<br />
The study finds the potential <strong>for</strong> off grid wind turbine applicati<strong>on</strong>s to be limited.<br />
These types of applicati<strong>on</strong>s may be relevant <strong>for</strong> electricity supply to c<strong>on</strong>sumers<br />
in rural areas where wind speeds are high e.g. al<strong>on</strong>g the coast in the southern part<br />
of <strong>Oman</strong> and where no grid c<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong> is possible.<br />
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