New recognition: Al Madina Logistics Services Company (AMLS) becomes first local firm to
register a rooftop solar photovoltaic power system with the I-REC Standard Foundation’s
international renewable energy tracking system.

MUSCAT: The growth of renewable energy in the Sultanate of Oman continues to rise year
upon year with the addition of wind projects, small-scale solar projects, as well as large-
scale (utility) projects. These projects help to support Oman’s goals of reducing its
greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) 7 per cent by 2030.
This is also beneficial for electricity consumers who want to see the country move towards
more sustainable sources of energy, while reducing dependency on fossil fuels and
decreasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Some consumers are moving beyond this and
installing solar panels directly on to their properties to ensure the most direct use of
renewable energy and reduction in GHGs that would have come from using energy from the
grid. Such emissions from electricity consumption are known as Scope 2 emissions and are a
regular part of corporate GHG reporting requirements.

To properly report the use and consumption of renewable energy for a company’s GHG
Scope 2 assessment such renewable energy must be validated using an energy attribute
certificate (EAC) like renewable energy certificates (RECs) or guarantees of origin (GOs).
Al Madina Logistics Services Company (AMLS) in Barka, became the first company in the
Sultanate of Oman to register a rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) power system with the I-REC
Standard Foundation’s international renewable energy tracking system.
Dr Michael Tsang, the CEO of Three Pillars Consulting (TPC), which is the I-REC Standard
Foundation’s Accredited Issuer of I-REC in Oman, noted that, “I-RECs for electricity are a
powerful tool because they allow end-users and energy consumers to make a reliable and
meaningful claim that they are consuming clean, carbon-free, renewable energy.”
For instance, each megawatt-hour (MWh) of solar energy that AMLS produces with their
system, they will generate an I-REC (certificate) that they can use for validating their
commitments towards consuming renewable energy, as well as validating their use of zero-
emissions electrical energy.

As Oleg Dobrovolsky, Regional Director of the International I-REC Standard Foundation
explains, “This development in the energy market represents an important step in the
transition towards innovative renewable energy procurement options. Leveraging
transparent, robust, and reliable tracking of renewable energy consumption for companies
can have a significant positive impact on the electricity generation in Oman.”
“We are proud to be at the forefront of supporting Oman’s renewable energy,
supplemented further with this recognition under the I-REC Standard Foundation,” noted

Nader Hakim, Group COO of AMLS. “We view our responsibility towards sustainability as an
integral part of our logistics service offering, placing high value on CO 2 emission reductions
through clean energy production. Our 2.1 megawatt (MWdc) solar plant spanning 15,000
square meters was the largest rooftop capacity when energised in April of 2021, and a
further step towards our goal of being a net-zero emissions operator.”
The I-REC Standard Foundation (I-REC Standard) is a non-profit organization that
redeveloped the International Attribute Tracking Standard (Standard) in April 2021 to clarify
the roles between the I-REC Standard and market facilitators. These market facilitators are
coordinating with the I-REC Standard to ensure the tracking standard and associated
systems are future-proof. One of the recent developments is the implementation of 15-
minute granularity timestamping on the certificates to better allow accounting periods
associated with Scope 2 emissions to match the temporal reality of end-user consumption.
Such features may be necessary, for example, to certify and validate green hydrogen
production along its value chain.

SOURCE: Oman Daily Observer