On the latest leg of its multiday visit to Germany, a high-level Omani delegation led by Eng Salim bin Nasser al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals, toured the Berlin facilities of energy tech giant Siemens Energy, a key partner in the Sultanate of Oman’s energy transition.

The delegation included, among others, Pankaj Khimji, Adviser for External Trade and International Cooperation at Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion; Dr Firas al Abduwani, Director-General of Renewable Energy and Hydrogen – Ministry of Energy and Minerals; Eng Abdulaziz al Shidhani, Managing Director – Hydrom (the orchestrator of Oman’s green hydrogen industry); and Najla al Jamali, CEO – OQ Alternative Energy.

Commenting on the visit, Jens Klingemann, Vice President Sales Operations at Siemens Energy, said: “We had productive discussions about potential collaborations in the fields of renewable energy, green hydrogen production, and the journey of the energy transition within the existing power plant assets. We believe that Oman's strategic initiatives and Germany's expertise in green energy can contribute to a flourishing industry. Oman is positioning itself as a key player in the emergent hydrogen economy, and Siemens Energy is well-positioned to contribute to Oman's green hydrogen initiatives given our expertise in hydrogen technology.”

A leading provider of gas turbines and power transmission systems for Oman’s electricity sector, Siemens Energy has also been assisting Oman in meeting its requirements of emerging technologies necessary to develop the country’s nascent green hydrogen industry.

Last December, the conglomerate signed an MoU with the Oman Investment Authority (OIA) to explore the potential for establishing an electrolyser manufacturing facility locally – an initiative that will capitalise on the huge captive market that Oman represents as it builds out its mammoth green hydrogen industry.

Earlier, in June, Energy Development Oman (EDO) – wholly state-owned national energy company – signed an MoU with Siemens Energy to leverage R&D to unlock new opportunities linked to the green hydrogen sector. Under the pact, Siemens will facilitate the exchange of knowledge and expertise designed to support innovation, job creation and empowerment of local talent.

Launched last year, Siemens Energy’s Berlin facility is designed to manufacture electrolyser modules – a key component in the production of green hydrogen. The facility boasts an annual production capacity of 1 gigawatt, with ambitions to scale up to 3 gigawatts by 2025.

“Our strategy in Oman aligns closely with Oman Vision 2040 for a sustainable energy future. We look forward to continuing our discussions and exploring opportunities for collaboration between Germany and Oman in the field of renewable energy and green hydrogen,” Klingemann added.

While in Germany, Al Aufi attended the signing of an LNG supply pact between Oman LNG and German state-owned energy group SEFE. He also addressed the 10th Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue 2024, which was attended by ministers and delegations from over 75 countries.

Earlier, during a visit to the German city of Leipzig, the Omani delegation met with officials of German gas importer VNG and explored the potential for cooperation in green hydrogen, notably in the field of storage. This was followed by a visit to the Bad Lauchstädt Energy Park in the south of Saxony-Anhalt, where a consortium of energy companies is building a first-ever industrial scale model of the entire green hydrogen value chain.