Muscat: The Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (Opaz) organised a specialised workshop on issuing renewable energy certificates. This initiative is part of its efforts to enhance the capabilities of Omani factories in reducing carbon emissions, boosting their competitiveness by adhering to international environmental standards, and preparing Omani factories for the upcoming phase in light of Oman’s strategy to reach net zero by 2050.

The workshop targeted representatives from the economic, free and industrial zones supervised by Opaz, in addition to representatives of a number of companies and those interested in this aspect.

The workshop focused on the benefits that factories and companies operating in economic zones, free zones and industrial cities can gain by obtaining renewable energy certificates (IREC), which are one of the Energy Attribute Certificates (EAC). It explained that renewable energy certificates are used to track and verify electricity generated from renewable energy sources or low-carbon fuel sources, such as solar and wind energy, within the electricity grid.
The workshop also addressed International Renewable Energy Certificates (I-REC), which are the most widely used renewable energy certificates globally. The workshop highlighted that any company, including factories, can obtain international renewable energy certificates and confirms achieving zero emissions for the energy they use if they meet the required criteria set by the relevant certification bodies.

The workshop also addressed the differences between renewable energy certificates and other environmental certificates, explaining that international renewable energy certificates (I-REC) and similar certificates are designed to track and verify electricity within the electricity grid. In contrast, other environmental certificates, such as carbon certificates, focus on estimating “avoided” or “removed” carbon emissions, which may or may not be associated with electricity. This type of certificate cannot track and verify electricity within the grid.

The workshop also discussed the benefits that Omani factories can gain from obtaining renewable energy certificates, the steps involved in obtaining these certificates, and the responsible authority for issuing them in the Sultanate of Oman. It emphasised that the evaluation of companies, particularly their products, is based on their carbon emissions intensity, meaning that companies and products with high carbon emissions will become less competitive over time.

Mazin bin Mansour Al Balushi, Head of Technical Studies Department in the Compliance and Legislation Sector at Opaz, said: International renewable energy certificates are considered an approved method for accounting for emissions within the Scope 2 of the market-based accounting methodology. This approach is required in any carbon emissions accounting that align with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, ISO carbon accounting standards, the Science Based Targets initiative, the Global Reporting Initiative, and other initiatives that apply to companies in the Sultanate of Oman.

He added: Obtaining renewable energy certificates for Omani companies is confirmation of their reduced carbon emissions, which helps enhance their competitiveness in local and international markets, as most companies worldwide are actively seeking those with lower carbon emissions within their supply chains.

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