Oman Business: Veolia, TotalEnergies start work on largest solar PV system for desal plant in Oman – Gulf Digital News

Oman Business: Veolia, TotalEnergies start work on largest solar PV system for desal plant in Oman – Gulf Digital News

France-based TotalEnergies and utility major Veolia have signed an agreement to start the construction of the largest solar photovoltaic (PV) systems providing power for a desalination plant in Oman, in the city of Sur.

The power plant will be located on the site of the Sharqiyah Desalination plant, which is a reference in Oman and in the gulf region, supplying drinking water to more than 600,000 inhabitants of the Sharqiyah region.

This 17-megawatt peak (MWp) solar project will be the first of its kind to be installed in the region. It produces annually over 30,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of green electricity, or more than a third of the desalination plant's daily consumption, enabling it to avoid close to 300,000 tons of CO2 emissions.

This is in line with Oman’s National Energy Strategy to convert 30% of its electricity use to renewable sources by 2030. The plant will be equipped with more than 32,000 high-efficiency solar panels and will use an innovative East-West tracker system to increase energy production. It will cover an area of 130,000 square meters, equivalent to approximately 18 football pitches.

“At Veolia, we are committed to bring the ecological transformation in the water sector for our clients and for our own assets.