The Authority for Electricity Regulation launched the Sahim Mobile Application to promote deployment of PV solar systems in residential premises in Muscat. The Sahim Application enables interested customers to confirm their participation by utilising the features of the application.
The second phase of the Sahim initiative aims to provide innovative solutions in renewable energy at the lowest cost by enabling the installation of 3-5 Kwh solar systems on 10% -30% of residential premises in Oman. Customers will be able to utilise the electricity generated from the solar cells directly in their homes.
Qais bin Saud Al Zakwani, Executive Director and Member, said; ‘The second phase of Sahim provides a unique opportunity for owners of residential premises in the Sultanate (Muscat Governorate as a first phase) to reduce their electricity bills by installing solar systems with financial contributions of RO 100-300. The contributions are considerably lower than the actual cost of installation of solar panels of 3-5 kilowatts which may vary from RO 2400 to RO 4000. The financing solutions provided by the second phase of Sahim will promote the benefits of installing solar panels which include customers getting lower bills. The broader benefits from the initiative include reducing the dependency of the Sultanate on fossil fuels to generate electricity.‘
Eng. Hilal Bin Mohammed Al Ghaithi, Project Manager, said: “The second phase of the initiative and the launch of the Sahim Application is part of the Authority’s efforts to support environmentally friendly solutions by increasing the utilisation of clean and renewable energy.”
He added; ‘We aim to provide solutions to obtain clean and renewable energy at the lowest cost. The cost of procuring, installing and operating will not be met by customers but by innovative financing solutions through qualified private developers. Customers will be asked to contribute small amounts based on their electricity bills for each premise.’
I urge villas owners to join the initiative and download the application. Sahim is expected to reduce their electricity bills, and allow them to take advantage of energy generated from the solar systems.’
Khuloud Al Zadjali, Manager of IT and Information Security, said: "The application is available on the Android and IOS operating systems and enables users to install solar panels as it can be used to fill the data and calculate the surface area by utilising Augmented Reality. Customers will have to ensure they use PKI enabled SIM cards to ensure functionality of the application. Augmented Reality technology is an essential aspect of the application and it was incorporated to facilitate the calculation of available surfaces and provide accurate information and data, which in turn, leads to making an informed decision on the installation of solar panels.’
