Industry, energy and vehicles account for bulk of Oman’s CO2 emissions

MUSCAT, OCT 29

Four key sectors – Industry, Oil & Gas, Transportation and Power/Buildings – account for 95 per cent of Oman’s total carbon emissions equivalent to around 90 million tonnes of CO2 in 2021, according to a high-level official associated with the country’s newly unveiled Net Zero Emission (NZE) reduction strategy.

Eng Faiza al Harthi (pictured), Head of Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Priority Support at Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-up Unit, said responsibility for delivering the Omani government’s commitment to cutting CO2 emissions to net zero by 2050 falls predominantly on the newly established Oman Sustainability Center (OSC).

Shedding light on the Oman National Net Zero Plan, as well as the role of the new centre, at a media briefing last week, the official warned that the Sultanate’s planet-warming greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – unless tackled — could rise by 10 – 20 per cent in a ‘business-as-usual’ (BAU) scenario from 2021 – 2050.

Significantly, 32 per cent of CO2 emissions come from the industrial sector, encompassing Iron & Steel, Cement, Aluminium, Ammonia, Methanol, Petrochemicals & Refining, among other industries. Next is the Oil & Gas sector with a 25 per cent share. Grouped in this category are upstream activities, flaring, LNG, fugitive gases and venting.

Ranked third is the Power / Buildings component with a 20 per cent share. Electricity from fossil fuels, chiefly natural gas, accounts for the bulk of emissions from this sector, particularly when used in the air-conditioning of homes and buildings. Not far behind is the transportation sector with a contribution of 18 per cent of the total. Clubbed in this category are passenger cars, trucks, buses and light commercial vehicles. Making up the balance 5 per cent are emissions linked to livestock and wastewater services, among other activities.

According to the official, a broad strategy for whittling down CO2 emissions to Net Zero was chalked out during the recent National Carbon Management Lab. It identifies as many as 49 projects and initiatives for delivering on the Net Zero Emission reduction target.

For buildings and urban areas, the Lab moots the introduction of building codes, smart energy meters, green zones and renewable energy resources. For the transportation sector, the Lab calls for a transition to Electric Vehicles and public transportation modes.

Reducing CO2 emissions in the industrial sector calls for more strident measures and technologies, such as Carbon Capture Utilisation & Storage (CCUS), easing gas consumption and utilization, and supporting a circular economy.

To rein in emissions in the Oil & Gas sector, the Lab has proposed enhancements in gas production and use, CCUS, methane emission abatement, and flare reduction. Finally, for the power sector, it has recommended a switch to renewable resources including Waste-to-Energy and Biofuels, and improved grid interconnection. Energy efficiency has also been strongly championed across all the emission-generating sectors.

Last week, Oman’s newly established hydrogen-centric company, Hydrom, announced that it is overseeing the development of a new green hydrogen industry with a capacity of 1 million tonnes per annum by 2030, rising to 7.5 – 8.5 million tonnes by 2050