Under the patronage of His Royal Highness Sayyid Dhi Yazan bin Haitham Al Said, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth; Oman Environmental Service Holding Company S.A.O.C (be'ah) signed a memorandum of cooperation with Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) to build a waste-to-energy plant in Barka.
The signing took place during Oman Sustainability Week held at Oman Conventions and Exhibition Centre, Muscat.
Aligned with Oman Vision 2040, be’ah undertook this venture with the aim of realizing its targets on economic development and environmental sustainability.
Building the first waste-to-energy (WTE) plant will act as a massive enabler to Oman’s energy diversification plans and shift towards renewable sources. Furthermore, such project will contribute to economic development by unlocking investment opportunities in the environmental sector and creating jobs through direct and indirect employment with SMEs and service providers.
“This vital project is part of be’ah’s strategy and sustainable waste management plan that will promote circular economy on a national scale,” commented Eng. Ahmed Hamed Al-Subhi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of be’ah. “It falls within our continuous efforts to minimize the use of landfills across the Sultanate provide long-term waste management solutions, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
With an estimated daily capacity of 4,500 tons of municipal waste, the plant is expected to reduce landfills’ carbon footprint by 50 mil tons in 35 years (1.3 mil tons a year), a whopping 30% of total carbon dioxide equivalent currently emitted by landfill operations. This substantial decrease will contribute to the Oman’s push to meet its international undertakings under the Paris Agreement.
Underlining the project’s impact on energy, Eng. Yaqoob bin Saif Al Kiyumi, Chief Executive Officer of OPWP, said “the initiative introduces an ecofriendly solution that will help us build a diversified energy sector by providing 130-150 MW from renewable sources. It also engages the private sector to build and operate the WTE plant and provide a sustainable platform of collaboration between two key sectors with a mutual aim of sustainability.”
The new engagement marks another milestone in be’ah and OPWP’s shared journey towards incorporating sustainable environmental practices and approaches in Oman’s energy sector.
