Duqm to host region's first major wind turbine manufacturing facility

14/04/2025 06:05 AST

A specialised factory for the manufacturing of wind turbines is set to be established in the Special Economic Zone at Duqm (SEZAD), marking a significant step in advancing Oman's renewable energy ambitions. The facility is expected to play a key role in supporting the sultanate's future clean energy projects by supplying locally manufactured turbines for wind farms across the country.

Mawarid Turbine Company on Sunday celebrated the launch of the first phase of the facility, which will have an annual production capacity of up to 1,000 megawatts (MW). The investment for the first phase is expected to exceed $200mn, according to a report by the Oman News Agency.

The plant is scheduled to begin commercial operations in 2026, becoming the region's first hub for wind turbine manufacturing and contributing to the localisation of renewable energy technology. It is expected to create approximately 1,080 job opportunities.

H E Eng Salim bin Nasser al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals, who presided over the inauguration ceremony, said the factory would play a key role in supporting Oman's wind energy development, with an annual capacity of 1,000 MW. "This will support many ambitious projects planned for implementation over the next two years. We hope the first phase of the factory will begin production by the end of next year," he said.

H E Aufi added that the main aim of establishing the factory is to supply wind power plants, with production beginning in mid-2026. "It will also supply materials for wind energy projects currently under construction, while creating employment opportunities for job seekers. The project reflects Oman's commitment to transitioning to renewable and clean energy."

Mustafa bin Mohammed al Hinai, CEO of Mawarid Turbine Company, said that the launch of the project represents a significant milestone - the first of its kind in the region - in the field of wind turbine manufacturing and the localisation of integrated renewable energy technologies.

"The project is confidently moving towards building strategic partnerships based on industrial integration, technological innovation, and knowledge transfer. The launch of the first phase will help reduce costs and logistical expenses, while providing high-efficiency products to both local and international markets. It will also open broad prospects for exporting Omani expertise and products, create numerous direct and indirect job opportunities, enhance local content, and increase value addition," he said.

Agreements signed
The inauguration ceremony witnessed the signing of several agreements and memoranda of cooperation. The first and second agreements - between Mawarid Turbine and Shanghai Electric Wind Power Group - cover technology licensing, a research centre, knowledge transfer, preliminary and technical design of manufacturing systems, and the supply of wind turbines for several pilot wind farms. The agreements were signed by Mustafa bin Mohammed al Hinai, CEO of Mawarid Turbine, and Wang Yong, President of Shanghai Electric Wind Power Group.

Wu Lei, the Chairman of Shanghai Electric Group, who witnessed the signing ceremony, said that this strategic partnership reflects the strong cooperative relationship between Oman and China, underpinned by longstanding historical ties. He emphasised that the project would support the transfer of advanced technologies and attract high-quality investments to Oman, while also contributing to the country's sustainable energy transformation, energy security, and the development of a knowledge- and innovation-based economy.

A third agreement was signed between Mawarid Turbine and CID (Gulf) for the detailed design of the Mawarid Turbine factory for manufacturing wind turbine components in Duqm. It was signed by Hinai and Tariq bin Najib al Khonji, CEO of CID (Gulf).

Additionally, Mawarid Turbine and OQ Group signed a MoU to establish a wind turbine manufacturing plant in Duqm. The MoU was signed by Hinai and Ashraf bin Hamad al Maamari, CEO of OQ Group.

In a separate development, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the Ministry of Labour, the Public Services Regulatory Authority, and Mawarid Turbine Company to train and qualify the first batch of 350 national job seekers, equipping them with the skills required to occupy technical and specialised positions in the renewable energy manufacturing sector.

Muscat Daily