Dhofar Wind Farm in Oman produces its first power

The 50MW Dhofar Wind Farm in Oman, which is being developed by Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) as the first utility-scale wind farm in the Gulf Cooperation Council, has produced its first power.

The milestone has been achieved following the commissioning of the first turbine. The remaining 12 turbines are scheduled to be brought online, tested and connected to the grid in sequence so that it begins full commercial operations by the year-end.

Located in the Dhofar Governorate, the Dhofar wind project is funded by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD). The Omani wind farm on its completion is expected to meet 7% of the total power demand in Dhofar Governorate by producing enough electricity to power 16,000 homes.

The Dhofar Wind Farm is expected to offset about 110,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually and also lessen the necessity of natural gas for domestic power generation.

The Dhofar Wind Farm in Oman will have 13 wind turbines

Dhofar Wind Farm in Oman. Photo courtesy of MASDAR.

Commenting on the Dhofar Wind Farm milestone, Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi – CEO of Masdar, said: “Masdar is proud to have developed the first utility-scale wind farm in the GCC. The successful connection of the first wind turbine to the electricity transmission grid at the Dhofar Wind Farm is a major step for Oman and the country’s ambitions to diversify its energy mix to include renewables.

“As a global leader in the development of commercially viable wind power, Masdar is committed to advancing clean-tech innovation both regionally and internationally by deploying the latest technologies at scale and enhancing their commercial viability.”

Once the Omani wind farm is fully operational, The Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) will buy the power generated by it from the Rural Areas Electricity Company of Oman (Tanweer), which is responsible for its operations.

GE Renewable Energy and TSK, a Spanish engineering and industrial construction company, are jointly supporting the Dhofar Wind Farm through an EPC consortium.

While GE will be supplying its 3.8MW wind turbines that are designed to tolerate the hot and arid conditions of Oman, TSK is responsible for the remaining wind farm infrastructure and electrical transmission facilities that will connect it to the grid.

Dr Manar Al-Moneef – President and CEO of GE Renewable Energy Onshore Wind, MENA and Turkey, commenting on the Omani wind project, said: “We have completed a huge milestone in the execution of the Dhofar Wind Farm by producing this first kilowatt-hour, first out of the 50MW that will power Oman’s Dhofar Governorate with clean energy.

“Wind power is growing around the world and it is becoming a reliable and affordable source of green energy. We are proud to be working with Masdar and our partners to bring this technology to Oman and build the first utility-scale wind farm in the country.”

For more wind industry news and updates on the Dhofar Wind Farm, keep following Business News Today.