Solar power for new Barka-5 desalination plant in Oman
Conrad Prabhu
Business Correspondent - Oman Daily Observer; Magazine Editor - ENERGY OMAN
OMAN DAILY OBSERVER / 12 MAR 2025
CONRAD PRABHU
Omani potable water producer GS Inima Barka-5 Desalination Co SAOC has announced the signing of a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) that will pave the way for solar power to meet part of the electricity requirements of a major desalination plant that it launched at Barka in South Al Batinah Governorate last year.
GS Inima Barka 5 Desalination Co, owned 100 per cent by GS Inima – a global leader in the water sector – celebrated the inauguration of its 100,000 m3/day capacity reverse osmosis (RO) based plant at Barka last September.? Built with an investment of around $135 million, the new plant represented the fifth phase of capacity expansions of the strategic Barka Water Hub designed to serve the potable water requirements of Muscat, North and South Batinah and Dakhiliyah governorates.
On Monday, GS Inima announced that its vision for a solar PV plant to support the desalination project’s energy needs, had reached a significant milestone. “GS Inima moves towards sustainability with the signing of a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for the Barka 5 Photovoltaic Plant in Oman. With a capacity of 6.5 MWp, this facility will supply up to 11 per cent of Barka 5 desalination plant’s energy needs until 2044, contributing to carbon footprint reduction and improving operational efficiency.”
In a statement, GS Inima added that the PV initiative aligns with its mission to integrate renewable energy into the water sector. “The development of the 6.5 MWp PV plant?began from scratch three years ago in 2022. After meticulous planning and development, GS Inima is now poised to commence construction, with the goal of achieving operational status in the first quarter of 2026. This project will?deliver substantial energy savings to the Barka 5 desalination facility.”
Juan José Benayas, CEO of GS Inima Barka 5 Desalination Co, stated: “This PPA for the Barka 5 PV Plant is a testament to our ongoing efforts to incorporate renewable energy solutions into our projects, and most importantly, to our commitment to delivering sustainable and cost-effective solutions to our valued client, Nama Power and Water Procurement Co (NPWP). We are excited to bring this project to fruition and contribute to a more sustainable future for Oman’s water sector, while also fulfilling our obligations to provide reliable and efficient water services.”
When operational by Q1 next year, the solar PV plant will be only the second facility of its kind to power water desalination in Oman. In November 2023, Veolia’s Sharqiyah Desalination Company celebrated the inauguration of a 17-megawatt peak (MWp) solar PV farm covering 100 per cent of the 131,000 m3/day capacity desalination plant’s energy consumption over the daylight period. Developed in partnership with TotalEnergies, the solar farm is presently the largest of its kind to support water desalination in the country.