Photovoltaic electricity prospects in Oman

Although considerable progress has been achieved in supplying electricity to most parts of Oman, due to its population dispersion, economic constraints and the short duration of the national electrification-programme to date (i.e. less than 30 years), there are still some locations without this desirable service. Electricity is the premium form of energy, because it is clean, as well as being flexible and highly efficient at its point-of-use. The availability of the first few kilowatts of electricity to a previously non-electrified home greatly improves the quality of life for its inhabitants, far more so than any subsequent equal increment of supplied power. For instance, this initial provision could energise artificial lighting, as well as a telephone, a TV. set, or a refrigerator and so enhance significantly the life-style quality of a household. Photovoltaic (PV) technology has already demonstrated its effectiveness and holds great promise for electricity generation but, at present, is a relatively high capital-cost process. Nevertheless, it provides an opportunity to generate electricity quietly via a semi-conductor system, using no rotating parts, and requiring no fossil-fuel input because it depends on insolation and so emits no pollutants. Therefore, for some applications, e.g. railway signalling or buoy illumination, it is, even now, in common usage world wide. PV-electricity generation tends to be more cost effective in the 'sun-belt' region from about 40 degrees N to 40 degrees S: Oman lies within this region, i.e. between 17 degrees N and 26 degrees N, and hence the prospects for its exploitation there on a large scale are good. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.