Donauer Solartechnik opens branch in Oman

GILCHING, GERMANY: Specialist distributor Donauer Solartechnik is opening a branch in Muscat, the capital of Oman, on 1 February. The solar company from Gilching near Munich is a partner in the joint venture with Saleh Ahmed Al Badi, who will direct the Donauer branch in Muscat. Previously, he was member of the executive board of Haya Water, one of the desert country's largest companies.

Donauer will build up a sales and service network in Oman and be the first German system houses to train the local customers and employees on site in its own solar academy. The product range of Donauer's new branch includes mobile grid-independent solutions, which are suitable for example for rural areas and industrial or touristic use. A further focus is on turn-key solar power stations for grid feed-in with a performance of up to megawatts.

Co-partner Al Badi values the technological know-how and customer orientation of his partner: "Donauer Solartechnik can look back on years of experience and provides customer-specific, high-quality solutions at an outstanding price."

Expansion in the Gulf region
"The solar market in Oman is very promising," explains Andreas Fornwald, who manages the business area International Large-Scale Projects at Donauer in Gilching. "Besides the outstanding climatic conditions, the convenient infrastructure and the stable political situation, awareness of the importance of climate protection is increasing in politics and society." The sultanate is planning several large investments in the solar field for 2012.

For the first trading year, Fornwald expects to build solar installations with a total performance of five megawatts. The branch in Oman is only the first step on the Arabian peninsula. "Oman is eminently suitable as a base for the expansion of our activities in further markets of the Gulf area," says Fornwald.