Oman’s Authority for Electricity Regulation (AER) has invited firms to submit expressions of interest (EOI) for companies to provide and install a risk management system for the planned Sahim 2 rooftop solar programme.

Firms have until 6 June to submit EOIs for the risk management system contract.

The automated risk management system will have the capability to store and retrieve information, remote metering and monitoring of multiple photovoltaic (PV) solar systems and performance reports. The successful bidder will be responsible for procuring, funding, installing, commissioning, operating and maintaining the system for a minimum period of 20 years.

AER launched the Sahim rooftop solar programme in May 2017, as part of its initiative to drive the installation of solar rooftop systems across the sultanate.

The Sahim programme has been split into two phases. Work on Sahim 1, which allows larger households and businesses who install rooftop solar PV systems at their own cost to be compensated through a bulk supply tariff (BST), has already started.

Sahim 2 will aim to drive the installation of small PV systems, 3kWp to 5kWp, at 10-30 per cent of residential premise in Oman. Unlike Sahim 1, the cost of procuring, installing and operating and maintaining PV systems will not be met by customers but will be met by private sector entities who will recover the costs through contracts with licenced suppliers. Licenced suppliers will enter long-term performance-based contracts with PV system providers to remunerate investment costs.