Oman: In a move to reduce the burden of power subsidies on the government, the Authority for Electricity Regulation of Oman (AER) has introduced a new solar scheme, Sahim for homeowners to generate solar electricity for their use and for selling it to the national grid, as reported by the Times of Oman.

Speaking on the initiative, Dr Muthukumar Ramaswamy, Technical Expert, Royal Estates, said: “In Oman, our expansion is horizontal, thus giving us ample room to install solar panels on our rooftops and harness solar power. And considering that the prices of solar panels have now reduced, the electricity authority is encouraging residents to harness solar energy.”

Highlighting the benefits of the scheme, Dr Ramaswamy added: “The solar harvesting project will reduce the financial load on the government and, at the same time, it will help the country achieve its energy-efficiency goals. It also means tapping into renewable and clean energy, which is healthy for the environment. However, the desired results will be experienced only in a couple of years.”