A solar power plant in Oman, backed by Singapore–based Sembcorp Utilities, has begun supplying electricity. The Manah II project, with a total installed capacity of 588 megawatt-peak (MWp), is now operational. Electricity from this project will flow into Oman’s national grid under a 20-year agreement for 500 megawatts with Nama Power and Water Procurement Company.
This project is outside Southeast Asia, but it shows how companies from the region are moving into energy sectors beyond their borders. Sembcorp Utilities is a unit of Sembcorp Industries, which is headquartered in Singapore. The company calls this its first large solar project built from the ground up in the Middle East.
Sembcorp has energy operations in 11 countries, with over 25 gigawatts (GW) of total capacity. Out of this, 17.2 GW is from renewable sources. Its international operations now include this Oman-based project, which marks one of its largest single-site developments to date.
While the company grows projects abroad, Singapore has also seen smaller solar efforts led by Sembcorp. Yet, they add renewable power in dense urban environments. On Jurong Island, rooftop solar systems ranging from 1 to 5 MWp are used to power industrial buildings. These projects are connected directly to the buildings, rather than exporting electricity to the grid.
At National University of Singapore (NUS), panels installed on rooftops and walkways total about 1.5 MWp. The solar power supports labs, classrooms, and administration areas. The installation is part of the campus energy system.
Small-scale solar is also seen at street level. Bus stops in areas like Yishun and Punggol use solar panels to power lights and fans. Each site has panels generating between 5 to 10 kilowatts. The systems are local and not grid-connected.
One pilot project is floating on water. At Pandan Reservoir, a floating solar testbed with 1 MWp capacity studies solar performance in humid conditions.
