Oman's 1GW Energy Storage Project Attracts 13 Consultancy Bids: Implications for Oceania's Energy Transition

Event Overview

On June 4, 2026, Oman's national power company Nama Group announced that it had received a total of 13 consultancy bids for its 1GW round-the-clock renewable energy storage project. The project is an important initiative for Oman to promote energy diversification and reduce dependence on natural gas. It plans to combine solar, wind, and battery storage to achieve 24-hour uninterrupted clean power supply.

Middle East Energy Storage Wave

Oman is not the only Middle Eastern country accelerating energy storage deployment. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and others have launched several large-scale battery storage projects. With abundant solar resources and strong government support, the Middle East is becoming a growth pole for the global energy storage market. The scale of Oman's 1GW project is unprecedented in the country, attracting 13 international consulting firms to bid, showing strong market interest in large-scale energy storage projects.

Lessons for Oceania

Australia: A Pioneer in Energy Storage Deployment

Australia has already taken a leading position in energy storage. Following the success of the South Australian 'Big Battery' project, the federal and state governments have continued to promote energy storage tenders. In May 2026, South Australia awarded a 517MW battery storage contract in a grid reinforcement tender. The Oman project shows that large-scale energy storage is not only applicable to developed countries; resource-based economies can also leverage energy storage to achieve energy transition. Australia can further learn from Oman's 'round-the-clock' design model, combining storage with renewable energy bases to improve grid stability and support the production of export energy (such as green hydrogen).

Pacific Island Countries: Opportunities and Challenges

Pacific Island countries (such as Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands) are highly dependent on fossil fuel imports, with small and fragile power grids. Energy storage is key to increasing the share of renewable energy, but faces funding and technical bottlenecks. The model of the Oman project, which is government-led and attracts international consultancy bids, suggests that island countries could introduce similar projects through regional cooperation (e.g., Pacific Islands Forum) or development financing (e.g., ADB, World Bank). A 1GW scale is too large for island countries, but modular, microgrid-level storage (10-50MW) is more realistic. The bidding process and cost data of the Oman project can serve as a reference for island countries.

New Zealand: Combination of Hydropower and Energy Storage

New Zealand has a high proportion of hydropower, but with significant seasonal fluctuations. Battery storage can assist in peak shaving. The Oman project provides New Zealand with a case study for planning, financing, and operating large-scale storage projects, especially in providing backup capacity during periods of low hydropower output.

Trade and Investment Implications

The 13 bids attracted by the Oman project came from international consulting and engineering firms, including companies from Europe, America, and Asia. This indicates that the trade in energy storage services is expanding. Engineering companies in Oceania (such as Australia's Worley, New Zealand's Enaex) can seek to participate in Middle Eastern projects, exporting technical and management expertise. At the same time, Australia's lithium resources are key to the global battery supply chain, and the Oman project will boost battery demand, indirectly benefiting Australia's lithium exports.

Regional Cooperation Prospects

Oceania and the Middle East have already cooperated in the energy field (e.g., Australia exporting LNG to Oman), and in the future, this can be expanded to include exchanges in energy storage technology.## Prospects for Regional Cooperation

Oceania and the Middle East have already cooperated in the energy sector (e.g., Australia exporting LNG to Oman), and this can be expanded to exchanges in energy storage technology in the future. Pacific island nations can learn from Oman's PPP model through mechanisms such as the Green Climate Fund. The Oceania Economic Review believes that the Oman project is a landmark: energy storage is transitioning from a supporting role to an independent power asset. Oceania countries should accelerate the formulation of energy storage roadmaps to avoid falling behind in the energy transition.

Conclusion

The 1GW energy storage project in Oman received 13 advisory bids, reflecting not only the Middle East's clean energy ambitions but also sending a clear signal to the world about the large-scale development of energy storage. For Oceania, this project provides a template for technology, financing, and tendering. Australia can accelerate energy storage deployment to consolidate its leading position in renewable energy; New Zealand needs to optimize the coordination between hydropower and energy storage; and Pacific island nations should seek international support to deploy small and medium-sized energy storage systems. In the next five years, energy storage will become an indispensable part of Oceania's energy system.