Oil and gas producer Oman launched a net-zero strategy this year, aiming to cut 33% of emissions by 2035 and hit net-zero by mid-century.
Still a major oil and gas producer, Oman is moving ahead with calls for a major increase in solar, wind, battery storage, and green hydrogen.
Here’s what to know
Oman is aiming for about 5.7 gigawatts of solar, more than 2 gigawatts of wind, and 1 gigawatt of battery storage by 2030, as Oilprice.com reported.
Oman says that path relies on energy diversification, carbon capture and storage, and adaptation projects across seven key sectors, while the Oman Centre for Net Zero will monitor progress and oversee how the plan is carried out.
Energy Minister Salim Al Aufi called the updated plans “a strategic step towards a robust, sustainable, low-carbon economy that enhances Oman’s global standing in line with Oman Vision 2040,” Oilprice.com reported.
More background
Several projects are already running.
A pumped hydro project called Wadi Dhayka will reuse an existing dam for grid-scale storage, while seven other projects are targeting over 1 million tons of green hydrogen a year by 2030 (however, BP and an Engie-Pesco consortium have already dropped out).
Oman is also trying to draw investment by simplifying procedures and setting clearer rules for carbon markets.
Speaking at the Green Hydrogen Summit Oman, Hydrom’s managing director, Abdulaziz al Shidhani, said that “less than three years after setting the framework, the program has entered a phase of coordinated execution,” Oilprice.com reported.
But it is important to keep in mind that Oman is not cutting its oil and gas production. It plans to hold a new bidding round for concession areas and plans to maintain its fossil fuel output. This is essentially positioning the company for a slower, managed transition rather than a rapid decarbonization.
Where can I learn more?
Oman’s plans are part of a much bigger story around green hydrogen, better production technology, and the challenge of cutting emissions in economies still tied to oil and gas. They also show why demand, production costs, and scrutiny of net-zero claims matter as the country adds renewables while keeping fossil fuel output steady.
• In Texas, developers are using wind power to make hydrogen as clean fuel investment accelerates.
• Australian firm Hysata says its efficiency breakthrough in green hydrogen could lower production costs.
• In Europe, Lhyfe and Ugitech are bringing green hydrogen into steelmaking as heavy industry decarbonizes.
• Researchers and shipbuilders are testing hydrogen fuel for vessels as maritime emissions face pressure.
Read alongside Oman’s strategy, these stories highlight the same mix of opportunity and friction running through the energy transition. They help put the country’s balancing act into clearer focus: expanding renewables and hydrogen while oil and gas remain central to the economy.
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