Muscat – The Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) has installed charging devices for electric vehicles as a new service for investors visiting the premises and to encourage employees to own electric vehicles. This endeavour comes in line with the government’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions and to compliment the incentives announced recently in this regard.

Abdulmajeed bin Abdullah al Ansari, General Manager of the Support Services Sector at the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones, said, “In the first phase, OPAZ installed a charging device for electric vehicles in the designated parking lot in OPAZ premises in Muscat. This comes as part of a gradual upgrade of services that includes increasing the number of EV chargers in the buildings in Muscat and in the Special Economic Zone at Duqm. Further, OPAZ will make the EV charging service available in all the existing and under development free and economic zones and industrial cities that are affiliated with OPAZ.”

OPAZ will respond to the demand for this service, whether by visitors or employees since demand for the service is likely to increase as a result of the government incentive package recently announced for individuals who purchase electric vehicles, stated OPAZ.

“OPAZ is always seeking to keep abreast of the various technical developments by providing an advanced infrastructure to support the use of modern technologies. In this regard, following the use of these technologies in Duqm, it has already begun applying artificial intelligence techniques in its premises. It implemented a central monitoring system from its office in Muscat to reduce over consumption of energy and water use in buildings,” Ansari added.

He further explained that providing the EV chargers marks a new addition, reflecting OPAZ’s plan to operate electric vehicles for official use in Muscat and Duqm on an experimental basis. “This serves spreading the culture of environmental sustainability in particular among employees and visitors as there is a high interest from the economic zones and free zones to produce solar and wind energy. Thus, the move towards using electric vehicles requires a cultural shift.”