Beyond Rooftops: How Community Solar Could Shape the Gulf’s Next Clean Energy Chapter

The Gulf’s clean energy transition has been driven by utility-scale solar parks, record-breaking renewable energy auctions, and ambitious national decarbonization targets. Across the region, governments have focused on deploying large renewable energy projects to diversify their energy mix and strengthen long-term energy security. While these initiatives will continue to play a central role, a new approach is beginning to emerge—one that brings consumers into the renewable energy transition rather than limiting participation to utilities and large project developers.

Community solar is a shared renewable energy model that enables multiple households, businesses, and institutions to benefit from electricity generated by a common solar installation without installing photovoltaic panels on their own properties. Participants subscribe to a portion of the project’s generation and receive credits or savings on their electricity bills. The model is particularly valuable for apartment residents, tenants, and consumers whose buildings are unsuitable for rooftop solar, making renewable energy more accessible and inclusive.

A significant milestone for the region came in June 2026 when Oman’s Authority for Public Services Regulation (APSR) launched the RO 5 million Imtidad Community Solar Programme, introducing community solar as a new mechanism to expand consumer participation in the country’s clean energy transition. The programme was accompanied by the inauguration of the 1.46 MW Imtidad 1 Community Solar Power Station in Muscat, enabling subscribers to benefit from solar-generated electricity through bill credits rather than direct system ownership. The initiative complements Oman’s broader renewable energy strategy, which also includes large-scale solar procurement and green hydrogen development under Oman Vision 2040.

The introduction of community solar represents more than the addition of another renewable energy project. It reflects an important evolution in energy policy by creating new opportunities for distributed generation and public participation. While utility-scale solar projects will remain the backbone of renewable electricity generation, community solar provides governments with an additional policy tool to extend clean energy benefits to a much wider segment of society.

For Gulf countries, the concept is particularly relevant. A large proportion of residents live in apartments or leased properties where rooftop solar installations are either impractical or restricted. Community solar overcomes these barriers by separating ownership of the solar asset from participation, allowing consumers to access renewable energy without significant upfront investment or property ownership. This model also supports broader policy objectives, including increased consumer engagement, enhanced energy affordability, and greater adoption of distributed renewable energy.

Oman’s initiative could serve as an important reference point for other Gulf countries. As the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar continue expanding renewable energy capacity, similar community-based programmes could complement utility-scale projects by broadening access to clean electricity and encouraging more active consumer participation.

The next phase of the Gulf’s energy transition will not be defined solely by larger solar parks or higher capacity targets. It will increasingly be shaped by innovative policies that make renewable energy more inclusive, accessible, and consumer-centric. Oman’s Imtidad programme demonstrates that community solar has the potential to become an important component of the region’s evolving clean energy landscape, creating a more participatory model for sustainable development while supporting long-term national energy goals.