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The requirement for energy is increasing on a large scale in the industrial and domestic sectors due to the rapid industrial growth and human living standards. International organisations are creating strict laws and guidelines at the same time to limit the usage of traditional fossil fuel-based electricity generating. Additionally, fast-developing countries like Oman are putting numerous plans to integrate renewable energy in the residential and industrial sectors as part of their commitment to lessen the potential for global warming. The government is taking proactive steps to use solar-based systems in household applications because Oman has a strong potential for using solar power and has a high demand for electricity from the residential sector. Since Oman has a promising potential to use solar power and a large demand for power from the residential sector, many steps are being taken to use solar-based systems in domestic applications. Presently, the hot water needs of domestic as well as many industrial consumers are met by grid electricity. The solar PV technology is a desirable alternative for using renewable energy. However, installing a solar thermal energy conversion system is a potential way to use solar power for producing hot water because solar thermal collectors have a greater conversion efficiency (55–75%) than PV collectors (10–20%). Thermal energy storage systems are also essential for the efficient use of solar thermal energy. Phase change material (PCM)-based thermal storage, one of the more modern technologies, has been recognised as a dependable solution in earlier investigations. However, for this strategy to be successfully applied in a particular location, it is necessary to analyse the quantity and quality of solar energy available. In this study, the technical feasibility of using PCM thermal storage to supply 200 litres of hot water per day to a residential building is examined. The size and specification of the thermal collector have been selected based on the simulation studies. For this purpose, the system advisor model (SAM) of the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), USA, and the weather data of Shinas, Oman, from the NASA database were used. To store 6 MJ of heat collected per day from two solar thermal collectors, 50 kg of paraffin wax having a melting point of 60oC was used. An experimental setup has been fabricated as per the optimum design parameters identified from the simulation studies in SAM, and tests have been conducted to find out the performance of the system. According to the findings, the system could save 1168 kWh of AC electricity annually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The entire modern world is dependent on energy. Providing cooling with renewable energy sources, such as solar energy, is one of the primary answers to the energy and environmental issues. Phase change materials (PCMs) play a significant role in the utilisation of solar energy in cooling applications. Recent study on solar energy using PCMs for low and medium temperature cooling applications indicates that PCMs are widely employed in solar thermal cooling, transport refrigeration, and commercial food outlets. Since low-temperature PCMs can maintain the temperature of small-scale refrigerators for an extended time, it can be used to maintain the space temperature of the appliance without the use of an electrical energy storage during the night. The primary factors in adapting a conventional system to work with solar energy with PCM are performance parameters such as pull-down time and on-off cycle of the compressor. In this paper, therefore, the experimental findings for the pull-down time and on-off cycle time of a 210-liter solar refrigerator with and without a PCM are provided. The experimental data revealed that the compressor's pull-down time and off-time were raised by 78% and 6.1 times, respectively. In addition to enhancing performance and facilitating temperature maintenance within the refrigerated space, the per-day energy consumption was reduced from 14.4 to 18.5% as compared to the system without PCM. It was confirmed that the use of PCM in refrigeration systems can play an essential role in enhancing their overall performance. Furthermore, this study could serve as a key link between the PCM and all currently available small-scale solar-powered household cooling appliances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of Oman's vision 2040, electricity from renewable energy should replace 30% of the country's total power by 2030. Furthermore, the power for electric vehicles is expected from renewable power. Recently the Oman Authority for Electricity Regulation (AER) revised the tariff system and due to this generating of energy from solar energy is becoming popular. To implement the PV technology, many challenges including cost of electricity, technological growth and policy must be addressed. Grid Connected PV (GCPV) system may be one of the options to overcome the above issues. It could decrease peak load demands, besides contributing to eco-friendly power generation. This paper investigates the techno-economic and environmental aspects on implementing PV power for electrification of Suhar City which is situated in the northern part of Oman. Photovoltaic (PV) systems can be installed utilizing the available rooftop spaces in the premises and the empty land around the buildings. A 1400W PV system available in Sohar University (SU) was used to collect the required data. The system was simulated in HOMER Pro, and the major parameters needed for the proposed study were analysed. The results showed that the investment in PV system, in Sohar city can be promising. The system showed the yield factor as 1923.6 kW h/kWp/year. Moreover, the proposed system had a capacity factor of 21.7%. The cost of energy and payback period were 0.146 USD/kWh (0.056 OMR/kW h) and 4 years respectively. However, many other factors due to economic challenges, Government policies and social acceptance must be resolved to establish a viable market for PV technology in Oman. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]