The global solar industry is entering a phase in which production costs increasingly interact with trade policy, supply-chain security and traceability. While China retains substantial advantages in scale and industrial capability, these shifts could create opportunities for competitive manufacturing capacity elsewhere.

This Majan Rua’a explores what that changing landscape means for Oman. With investments spanning several stages of the solar value chain, including large-scale polysilicon production in Sohar, the Sultanate has established a foundation for a broader manufacturing ecosystem. Turning individual projects into a durable industrial base will depend on their commercial connections, access to reliable energy and ability to serve customers across different markets.

The analysis identifies four priorities: securing competitive industrial power, connecting manufacturers with local suppliers and skills, establishing independently verifiable supply chains, and developing diversified, long-term customer relationships. It also examines the risks posed by global oversupply, changing trade protection, technological advances and production costs.

The central question is how Oman can translate today’s investments into sustained productivity, skilled employment, local value creation and viable exports across changing market conditions.