Muscat: Hydrogen Oman (Hydrom), a subsidiary of Energy Development Oman (EDO), recently participated in the recent Green Hydrogen Conference and Exhibition - Europe 2023, held in Madrid, Spain.

As part of its participation, Hydrom presented the ambitious vision and strategic plans of the Sultanate of Oman in fostering the growth of the green hydrogen industry, with the aim of becoming a global hub for its production in the near future.

Eng. Abdul Aziz Said Al Shidhani, the General Manager of Hydrom, took part in the conference, where he presented the results of the first public auction round in phase A. The event witnessed the signing of agreements to initiate the development of five projects in Al Wusta Governorate, spanning an area exceeding 1,600 km2 and with a total investment of more than USD 30 billion. Additionally, Al Shidhani discussed the second round of the public auction within the same phase, as well as the promising investment opportunities it offers companies interested in entering this industry.

Commenting on Hydrom’s participation in the conference, Eng. Abdul Aziz said, “The Green Hydrogen Conference and Exhibition in Europe is a prominent global event that focuses on the future of renewable energy in the hydrogen sector. Hydrom decided to participate in sponsoring this event with the purpose of informing major companies operating in this field about Oman's visionary plans for the green hydrogen economy and the joint infrastructure being developed to support these projects, which will open doors for various industries to transition towards green production methods. Our primary goal for participating was to encourage international companies to engage with us and take advantage of the excellent opportunities currently offered by the Sultanate through the second round of public auction, which will also offer numerous plots of land in the Dhofar Governorate. Our participation in this event was highly successful, as several companies expressed a keen interest in learning more about these investment opportunities”.

He added, “We are moving in the right direction to put the Sultanate of Oman on the list of the world's leading green hydrogen producers, thus making it an attractive destination for foreign industrial investments seeking to transition to clean energy. We are confident in our ability to attract leading companies in this sector as partners as we work together to create a more sustainable future for Oman’s energy industry.”

He concluded, “I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to the Ministry of Energy and Minerals and Energy Development Oman for the unlimited support they have provided Hydrom as it strives to achieve its goals and make its initiatives a success.”

On June 21, Hydrom made an announcement regarding the launch of the second round of the public auction in the first phase. In this round, prospective companies interested in participating will have the opportunity to submit their accreditation documents before September. Once approved, these companies will receive the necessary offer documents to prepare and submit their investment proposals between September 2023 and January 2024. The evaluation of the proposals and the subsequent signing of development agreements are anticipated to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2024.

Eng. Abdul Aziz Al Shidhani said, “We are pleased to participate in this prestigious global event, which has provided us with the chance to engage in several discussions and attend presentations by leading companies involved in the green hydrogen sector. It was an invaluable opportunity to exchange experiences and knowledge with pioneers in the hydrogen industry from around the world.”