RO 1.5M Energy Lab Opens at SQU, With 275 Auditors to Train

Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) has opened a new research facility in Muscat for energy technologies: the Sustainable Energy Research Centre Laboratory (SERC Lab). It cost about RO 1.5 million and was co-funded by Oxy Oman. On the same day, the university signed a three-year agreement with the Ministry of Energy and Minerals to train hundreds of Omanis in energy auditing. Together, the two moves give Oman more lab space for net-zero research and a clearer route for turning that research into skilled jobs.

📌 Key Takeaways

• SQU inaugurated the SERC Lab on 18 October 2026 under the patronage of Eng. Salim bin Nasser Al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals, according to SQU's official announcement.
• The lab covers about 774 square metres and was co-funded by SQU and Oxy Oman at a cost of about RO 1.5 million (SQU). GCC Business News puts that at about $3.9 million.
• Its units cover alternative fuels, energy materials, energy efficiency, thermal energy, carbon capture and hydrogen, smart grids, and modelling and simulation of renewable energy systems.
• Phase 2 of the Kafa'a Programme, a new three-year agreement with the Oman Net Zero Centre, aims to train 275 people in energy auditing and 20 in measurement and verification. It will also incubate at least three national startup teams.
• Since 2017, the research centre has run about 61 projects, attracted about RO 2.39 million in funding and trained more than 300 people, according to SQU.

🔬 What Opened at SQU

The lab belongs to SQU's Sustainable Energy Research Centre, which already does research, training, consulting and technical support for several sectors. Times of Oman said ahead of the opening that the facility was designed as "an integrated research and training platform." SQU President Sayyid Dr Fahad bin Al Julanda Al Said attended the ceremony.

According to Times of Oman and SQU, the facility has seven parts:

The digital work is concentrated in the smart grids and simulation unit. Most of the facility is for physical and chemical energy research. SQU's announcement does not mention artificial intelligence, so readers should treat the lab as an energy-technology research site rather than a computing facility.

📊 The Centre's Track Record So Far

SQU published figures for the centre since it was founded in 2017:

• About 61 research projects completed
• About RO 2.39 million in research funding, of which about RO 1.95 million came from industry and other external bodies
• About 100 Scopus-indexed papers, with more than 2,100 citations
• More than 300 people trained

By SQU's own figures, about four-fifths of the centre's money has come from outside the university, mostly from industry. That matters in Oman, where turning university research into commercial results is still a weak point. Our earlier look at the patent gap behind Oman's innovation ranking covered that weakness. SQU's announcement lists papers and projects, but it does not mention patents or spin-out companies.

🎓 Kafa'a Phase 2: The Talent Pipeline

SQU and the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, through the Oman Net Zero Centre, also signed a three-year agreement for the second phase of the Kafa'a Programme. SQU Vice-Chancellor Sayyid Dr Fahd bin Al Julanda bin Majid Al Said and the Minister signed it. SQU said the agreement aims to "expand specialised professional training in energy efficiency" while "aligning training outcomes with practical applications, entrepreneurship and labour market needs" (SQU).

The agreement sets these targets:

• 275 participants trained in energy auditing
• 20 participants trained in measurement and verification, including preparation for the Certified Measurement and Verification Professional (CMVP) credential
• At least three national teams of four members each, incubated to build energy-efficiency startups

There is a baseline to measure against. Phase 1 ran for six weeks with 50 participants. Thirty-eight of them earned the Certified Energy Auditor (CEA) credential, a 76% pass rate (SQU). Phase 2 aims to train more than five times as many auditors.

SQU said the Minister described investment in research, innovation and national talent as a strategic pillar of the energy sector. Eng. Mohsen Al Jabri, Director General of the Oman Net Zero Centre, said expanding energy-efficiency projects needs a strong national base of specialised expertise and services. SQU's write-up paraphrases both men rather than quoting them directly.

⚖️ What Remains Unclear

• Research outputs: The announcements give no targets for publications, patents or industry pilots from the new lab.
• Access: It is not yet public whether outside companies, startups or other universities can book time in the lab, or on what terms.
• Timelines: The Kafa'a agreement runs for three years, but no cohort dates or application windows have been published.
• Funding concentration: One oil and gas operator co-funded the lab, so its research agenda may lean towards industrial priorities such as carbon capture rather than broader clean-tech work.

🇴🇲 Why this matters for Oman

Oman's net-zero 2050 target and Vision 2040 both depend on hydrogen, carbon capture, efficient buildings and smarter grids, and those all need local engineers, auditors and researchers. The SERC Lab gives SQU more dedicated equipment for this work. Kafa'a Phase 2 adds measurable training targets with recognised certifications. Recent projects such as the UTAS research and startup push show Omani universities working more closely with industry. Over the next three years, the test is whether the lab produces patents, pilots and startups, not just papers, and whether the 275 auditors find energy-efficiency work in Omani companies.