الملخص الإنجليزي
The study of identifying the best sites for green hydrogen production projects
and evaluate their efficiency in the Sultanate of Oman is the first study of its
kind in the Sultanate. The study aimed to reach the best sites for green
hydrogen production in the Sultanate of Oman based on solar and wind
energy and evaluate their production and environmental efficiency.
The study adopted a quantitative approach based on spatial analysis through
the use of multi-criteria-decision-making analysis based on geographical
information systems. Several different analysis methods were used,
including the weighted overlay method, the fuzzy logic method and the
hierarchical process. The study also relied on the Arc Map program in its
various procedures, to produce suitability maps of the sites.
Here we show that the best sites with high suitability for establishing green
hydrogen production projects were concentrated in the areas of the coastal
part of Al Wusta and Dhofar Governorates. These sites were similar in all
different analysis methods, as well as in production sites based on solar and
wind energy.
In addition, the findings highlighted that about half of the Sultanate’s area
constitutes medium-sized lands suitable for production sites based on solar
energy, distributed in different regions of the Sultanate, due to the high
potential for solar energy in most of the Sultanate’s lands, which can be
benefited from by producing electricity from solar energy in these areas then
transferred to green hydrogen production sites located in the coastal strip.
The results also showed that the highest amount of green hydrogen
production reached 2.343 million tons per year, which is based on solar
energy. The highest amount of carbon dioxide that could be reduced ranged
to 136.5 million tons of carbon dioxide per year which could be reduced
when oil is replaced with solar energy in the study area.
