MUSCAT:  The Muscat Ideas Summit, an industry roundtable workshop hosted Gulf Intelligence at Muscat University on November 27, 2024, yielded a wealth of insights about Oman’s untapped and underutilized natural advantages within the climate and digital economies. The deliberations helped pinpoint opportunities for transformative growth by leveraging these underexploited resources.

Delegates from the clean energy industry underlined Oman’s offshore wind energy potential as a game-changer opportunity that has yet to be unlocked. While onshore wind projects have been inaugurated, offshore developments could vastly increase renewable capacity, placing the country as a regional leader. Likewise, Oman’s vast deserts and coasts are also ideal for large-scale green hydrogen production, with early-stage initiatives that could make Oman a global hydrogen hub, it was pointed out.

Additionally, Oman’s rich marine ecosystems, including mangroves and seagrasses, offer significant blue carbon potential, making them well-placed to contribute to global climate goals.

Speaking to the Observer, Walter Simpson, Managing Director at CC Energy Development (CCED), said, “Oman’s strategic geographical location, access to global infrastructure, and its educated workforce, combined with the desire to grow renewable energy, and the emerging data centre infrastructure that's coming in and growing rapidly, are all the right elements that can help the country achieve those goals.”

Participants also highlighted Oman’s proximity to international submarine cables places, which positions the country as a potential hub for global data centers and digital infrastructure. Despite this connectivity and the availability of affordable land for energy-intensive facilities, Oman has yet to fully exploit its position, they pointed out.

By integrating renewable energy into its digital infrastructure, Oman has the potential to create a sustainable data economy, attracting international investments and advancing its status as a global digital hub, they noted.

Likewise, Oman must harness its natural and strategic resources to strengthen its position in the global climate and digital economies. Targeted investments in offshore wind, green hydrogen, blue carbon initiatives, and renewable-powered digital infrastructure could deliver remarkable economic and environmental outcomes, cementing Oman’s leadership in these key sectors, it was stressed.

According to Dr Ramin Mohajer, Partner at Aspire Muscat Institute, the government and private sectors, as well as education services and SMEs, all stand to benefit from an anticipated digital transformation. Indispensable to this goal is the need for this transformation to be inclusive and equitable for the benefit of the entire community, he stressed.

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