21/05/2015 00:55 AST
Four international companies are in the race for a contract to construct the Sultanate’s first wind farm project at Thamrait in Dhofar Governorate at an estimated cost of $125 million. They are among 11 firms that participated in a competitive tender for the Engineering-Procurement-Construction (EPC) of a 50 megawatt (MW) capacity wind-based renewable energy project promoted jointly by the Rural Areas Electricity Company (RAECO) of the Sultanate, and Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy company.
Submissions in response to a Request for Proposals (RfP) are currently being evaluated, with a contract award due to announced by the third quarter of this year, according to a senior official of RAECO. Khalil al Mantheri, a key project official, said construction work on the prestigious scheme — which is also the first wind farm project in the Gulf region — is expected to start before the end of this year, with completion targeted in Q2 2017.
Giving an overview of the project on the 2nd day of the Oman Energy & Water 2015 Exhibition and Conference, Al Mantheri said the wind farm initiative has the potential to spur the development of wind-based power generation in the Sultanate.
“As a showcase venture, the Dhofar Wind Farm Project will spur the growth of similar renewable energy based schemes in the Sultanate, as well as contribute to the development of a suitable regulatory framework for renewables. It will also demonstrate the feasibility of wind energy — which is an untested resource in this region — in Oman,” he said.
Depending upon the successful bidder and type of technology used in the project, the number of wind turbines proposed to be installed will vary between 17 and 25, the official explained. Generation capacities will vary from 2 — 3.5MW per wind turbine.
Thus, if a configuration of 2MW capacity turbines are chosen for the project, a total of 25 wind turbines are envisioned to achieve a combined capacity of 50MW. But if the turbine capacity is as much as 3.5 — 3.7MW, then the number of wind turbines required is 17, he said.
Significantly, the turbine masts and blades will rank among the largest of their kind. Mast heights can rise to a maximum of 150 metres, while the diameter of the blades can extend to a staggering 100 metres across, Al Mantheri said.
Another key spin-off from the project is technology transfer, the official stressed. In addition to creating a number of direct and indirect jobs, the Dhofar Wind Farm project will also help in the development of a cadre of Omanis specialising in the construction and operation of wind turbines – for the first time in the country, he added.
Austrian-based international firm ILF Consulting Engineers is providing consulting and engineering services in the establishment of the venture. Around 16,000 homes will receive their energy needs from this ambitious initiative when it comes into operation in 2017.
Oman Daily Observer
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