Omantel advances Net Zero plan with emission cuts and renewables

29/05/2025 03:19 AST

As climate action becomes increasingly urgent across industries, Omantel is stepping forward with a clear commitment to sustainability. The company has formally adopted a Net Zero target for 2050 and set an ambitious near-term goal to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030, using 2023 as the baseline year.

This commitment reflects Omantel's broader sustainability vision and its role as a national digital enabler, supporting Oman's transition towards a low-carbon future. Rather than treating Net Zero as a distant aspiration, Omantel said it is taking measurable steps today to reshape its environmental impact.

"Our responsibility extends beyond digital infrastructure. It includes contributing to a more sustainable future for Oman. This target reflects both our ambition and the action we are taking to achieve it," Lujaina Saif al Kharusi, Vice President of Governance, Regulatory Affairs and Compliance at Omantel, said in a press statement.

A major step in this journey was reached in 2024, when Omantel redeemed 40,000 International Renewable Energy Certificates (I-RECs) sourced from the Dhofar Wind IPP through Nama Power and Water Procurement (Nama PWP). This clean electricity, equivalent to 40,000 MWh, led to a 12.38% reduction in the company's market-based Scope 2 emissions and prevented more than 88,000 tonnes of CO² equivalent from entering the atmosphere.

Without intervention, emissions would have risen alongside business growth. Instead, Omantel achieved a 2.77% decrease in total emissions for 2024 compared to 2023, avoiding a projected 10.96% increase. By 2026, emissions are expected to remain just 5.15% above 2023 levels, significantly below the business-as-usual projection of nearly 31%. These results underscore the effectiveness of Omantel's approach.

Omantel also ranks among the first telecom operators in the region to adopt renewable energy certificates at this scale. This signals both technical capability and a serious commitment to operational sustainability.

"Setting goals is important, but following through on them is what defines leadership," said Lujaina. "Integrating wind power into our energy portfolio is just one example of how we are aligning climate goals with real action."

By embedding sustainability into its strategy, Omantel is contributing to Oman's national Net Zero roadmap and helping shape a future where connectivity and climate responsibility advance hand in hand.

Muscat Daily