MUSCAT: Eng Said bin Hamoud al Maawali, Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, inaugurated the Sultanate of Oman’s first crypto-mining data centre, set up by Green Data City in Mirbat recently.
Al Maawali was joined by Dr Ali bin Amer al Shidhani, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology for Communication and Information Technology, Shaikh Suhail bin Mohammed al Khathiri, Deputy Wali of Mirbat, Talal al Aufi, CEO of OQ, and Eng Olivier Ohnneiser, CEO – Green Data City. Representatives of the crypto mining industry including Bitmain, Bitfield, BBGS and Enegix were present as well. Green Data City will develop in two phases; Phase one will immediately start with 200MW dedicated to crypto-mining, and Phase two will add renewable energy and patented deep-sea water cooling with minimum 400MW capacity that will optimise hyperscale data centres. Large scale mining companies and data centre owners can now register directly under the GDC license and operate in the development. The capacities will be allocated in the coming weeks. Al Maawali said: “The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology seeks to build cooperative partnerships with leading local and international private sector entities in the various types of digital technologies, as the Ministry works to attract foreign investments in this ever-developing industry.”
Eng Olivier Ohnseiser, CEO of Green Data City, stated that “The south of Oman is strategically positioned on the network routes and has unique advantages to establish successful and sustainable hyperscale data centres, such as stable economy, large surplus electricity, cool weather in the Salalah region, unique access to cold deep ocean water next to the shore, and high renewable energy.” The official delegation has visited the new offices and seen the first bitcoin officially mined in Oman, while the technical team presented the immersion cooling technology, used to reduce electricity consumption, which will be coupled with patented water-cooling innovation and renewable energy in the next phase.
Ohnheiser expressed his appreciation of the government leadership to support this long term development and make the country now open for crypto-mining.
The new data and crypto hub will bring strategic benefits for Oman with large investment, high profile careers for IT engineers, employment of the full development that will include, technology, water industries, aquaculture, cosmetics, real estate and supporting services.
