Connect with us

Technology

EDF power solutions, Al Khadra Partners and OQAE reach Financial Close on the 120 MW JBB Wind Project in the Sultanate of Oman

Published

on

Consortium led by EDF power solutions, Al Khadra Partners and OQ Alternative Energy finances the 120 MW Jaalan Bani Bu Ali (JBB) Wind Independent Power ProjectProject due to begin commercial operations in Q3 2027Once operational, the wind farm will supply low carbon electricity to more than 13,500 Omani households and avoid over 270,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually

MUSCAT, Oman, Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A consortium led by EDF power solutions, Al Khadra Partners and OQ Alternative Energy (OQAE), today announced the successful achievement of financial close for the 120-megawatt (MW) Jaalan Bani Bu Ali (JBB) Wind Independent Power Project in the Sultanate of Oman.

The project follows the execution of a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Nama Power and Water Procurement Company (Nama PWP) and marks a significant milestone towards the delivery of one of Oman’s largest onshore wind farms.

Located in the South Al Sharqiyah Governorate, approximately 440 km from the Port of Duqm, the project will comprise 16 wind turbines, each with a generation capacity of 7.7 MW. The commercial operation is expected in Q3 2027.

Once operational, the JBB Wind Farm is expected to generate sufficient renewable electricity to power more than 13,500 Omani households annually, while avoiding over 270,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year. The project will also contribute to local economic development through job creation, skills transfer, and opportunities for Omani businesses throughout the construction and operational phases.

The project supports Oman Vision 2040 and the Sultanate’s objective of increasing the share of renewable energy in the national electricity mix to at least 30% by 2030, while advancing the country’s Net Zero 2050 ambitions.

Luc Koechlin, CEO Middle East of EDF power solutions, said: “Achieving financial close on the JBB Wind Project is a major milestone for all partners involved and demonstrates the confidence of lenders in both the project and Oman’s renewable energy market. This project marks EDF power solutions’ inaugural wind transaction in Oman, further strengthening our commitment to supporting the Sultanate’s energy transition through the development of competitive and low-carbon energy solutions. Together with our partners Al Khadra Partners and OQAE, we are proud to contribute to Oman Vision 2040 and its long-term decarbonization objectives.”

Sheikha Hind Bahwan, Chairperson of Al Khadra Partners, commented: “The successful financial close of the JBB Wind Project marks a significant milestone for our partnership and underscores our shared commitment to advancing Oman’s clean energy transition. As part of the Hind Bahwan Group, which is developing more than 3 GW of power projects across the Sultanate, we are proud to collaborate with EDF power solutions and OQ Alternative Energy in delivering one of the country’s landmark renewable energy project. This achievement reflects the strength of our partnership and our confidence in Oman’s vision for a sustainable, diversified energy future. Together, we are creating long-term economic, environmental, and social value that will benefit the Sultanate and its communities for generations to come.”

Mr. Salim Said Al Kamyani, CEO of OQ Alternative Energy, said: “Achieving financial close for the JBB Wind Project is an important milestone that demonstrates the progress Oman is making in translating its renewable energy ambitions into tangible projects. JBB represents more than 120 MW of new renewable capacity; it is part of a wider transformation of the Sultanate’s energy system and an investment in its long-term economic resilience. As Oman’s National Champion for Renewable Energy, OQAE is committed to harnessing the country’s exceptional renewable resources to strengthen energy security, diversify the energy mix and support sustainable economic growth. Projects such as JBB also create opportunities to build local capabilities, strengthen Omani supply chains and generate lasting In-Country Value. Together with EDF power solutions and Al Khadra Partners, we are proud to advance a project that contributes directly to Oman Vision 2040 and Net Zero 2050, while creating enduring value for the Sultanate and future generations.”

About EDF power solutions

EDF power solutions is an international energy company which develops, builds and operates renewable and low-carbon energy production facilities as well as flexible power and electricity transmission solutions.

As a major player in the energy transition worldwide, EDF power solutions deploys, within EDF, competitive, responsible and value-creating projects. In 25 countries, our teams show their commitment to local stakeholders every day, adding their expertise and capacity for innovation to the fight against climate change.

EDF power solutions operates 31GW of gross installed power capacity worldwide. Leveraging on its technological and commercial skills as well as local knowledge, EDF power solutions develops innovative offers, to support the move towards decarbonisation and develop more efficient electrical systems.

EDF power solutions offer a large range of technologies to produce low carbon electricity (wind power, solar, hydraulics, biomass), increase power system flexibility (battery storage, PSP, low carbon thermal hybrid solution etc.) and to reduce its customers’ carbon footprint (electrical mobility, hydrogen, off-grid solutions, mini-grids, etc.).

Contacts:

For more information: www.uae.edf.com 
Follow us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/edfmiddleeast 

About Al Khadra Partners

Al Khadra Partners part of the Hind Bahwan Group is committed to accelerating the region’s energy transition. With a strategic focus on renewable energy initiatives across the Middle East, Al Khadra invests in and develops a diverse portfolio of clean-energy solutions, including solar, battery storage, onshore wind, power-to-X technologies, and sustainable mobility. Guided by Sheikha Hind Bahwan’s vision for sustainability, innovation, and In-Country Value creation, Al Khadra aims to deliver impactful, future-ready projects that contribute to national climate goals, strengthen energy security, and support long-term socio-economic development. Through its collaborative approach and commitment to excellence, Al Khadra continues to play a leading role in shaping a cleaner, more resilient energy future for the region.

Contacts:

For more information: www.hindbahwangroup.com 
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hind-bahwan-group

About OQ Alternative Energy (OQAE)

OQ Alternative Energy (OQAE), a subsidiary of OQ, is the Sultanate of Oman’s National Champion for Clean Energy. Established in 2020, OQAE contributes to the country’s clean energy transition in line with Oman Vision 2040 and Net Zero 2050. Its portfolio includes large-scale solar and wind projects, green hydrogen and ammonia ventures, energy efficiency, and industrial decarbonisation — driving long-term value creation, energy security, and sustainable growth for Oman.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/edf-power-solutions-al-khadra-partners-and-oqae-reach-financial-close-on-the-120-mw-jbb-wind-project-in-the-sultanate-of-oman-302848120.html

Continue Reading

Technology

USI Launches AI Smart Camera Solution to Accelerate Smart Manufacturing

Published

on

By

NANTOU, Sept. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — USI today announced its next-generation AI Smart Camera solution, a comprehensive edge AI and vision platform that empowers manufacturers to accelerate digital transformation through AI-driven quality inspection, process automation, logistics optimization, and smart factory initiatives.

Moving beyond conventional camera hardware, USI’s AI Smart Camera integrates a high-performance, low-power edge computing platform, high-resolution imaging technology, and proprietary AI vision software to deliver real-time image analysis and actionable insights at the edge. Designed for modern manufacturing environments, the solution enables automated inspection, early defect detection, and faster, more consistent quality decisions. By reducing inspection costs, improving production efficiency, and enhancing product quality, it helps manufacturers accelerate their transition toward smarter and more autonomous production operations.

For manufacturers, the journey to AI-powered vision extends beyond object detection and defect identification. Success depends on turning AI from a proof-of-concept project into a production-ready solution that delivers consistent performance, scales efficiently, and seamlessly adapts to evolving manufacturing requirements.

USI addresses this challenge with an integrated AI Smart Camera platform that supports the complete AI development lifecycle—from data collection and dataset generation to model training and deployment. Its no-code/low-code AI model training platform further simplifies development, enabling customers to develop and deploy vision applications with greater efficiency and less dependence on specialized AI expertise.

Key features of USI AI Smart Camera include:

Real-Time Edge AI Processing: Performs image analysis and AI inference at the edge, enabling fast visual decisions and timely responses without relying solely on centralized computing.High-Quality Imaging for Industrial Inspection: Combines a high-resolution, low-lux-capable camera module with powerful Edge AI computing to support demanding inspection and machine vision applications.Faster AI Deployment: Integrates hardware, embedded software, and AI vision development tools into a production-ready platform, helping customers shorten development cycles and accelerate the transition from proof of concept to production.Flexible AI Vision Applications: Supports object detection, defect identification, OCR, key-part positioning and tracking, assembly verification, product classification, and operation behavior detection and analysis.Seamless Integration with Industrial Environments: Ruggedized design with industrial-grade interfaces, including Ethernet, Power over Ethernet (PoE), HDMI, and MicroSD, ensuring seamless compatibility with existing equipment, machine vision systems, and automation platforms.

By automating visual inspection and defect identification, the AI Smart Camera can reduce reliance on manual QA operations while improving inspection consistency. Its real-time visual intelligence can also provide actionable data to help manufacturers quickly identify process deviations, reduce defect rates, and lower production costs. The platform can further serve as an intelligent visual decision layer for automated production, providing real-time visual guidance and feedback to robotic systems. This enables manufacturers to move beyond inspection automation toward more responsive and autonomous production processes.

“Demand for AI-powered vision applications is growing rapidly across the manufacturing sector. Today’s manufacturers are seeking more than just camera hardware. They need complete, end-to-end solutions that can be deployed quickly and deliver measurable business value,” said Justin Chang, Director of the Vertical Mobility Solution Center at USI. “By combining advanced Edge AI capabilities with our integrated vision platform, we enable customers to accelerate the adoption of smart manufacturing, quality inspection, and industrial automation applications. Our solution helps bring AI from proof of concept to production faster and more efficiently.”

As a global ODM partner, USI combines expertise in product design, manufacturing, and Edge AI integration to deliver complete solutions tailored to customer requirements. The AI Smart Camera is already deployed within USI’s own manufacturing operations, providing a production-proven reference platform for industrial AI vision applications.

Building on this experience, USI can customize AI vision solutions around customers’ specific production environments and business requirements, helping shorten development time, reduce implementation risks, and accelerate their smart manufacturing journey.

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/usi-launches-ai-smart-camera-solution-to-accelerate-smart-manufacturing-302871089.html

SOURCE USI

Continue Reading

Technology

Media’s future tense in AI-driven world

Published

on

By

BEIJING, Sept. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — This is an op-ed from China Daily.

Philip K. Dick’s 1969 novel Ubik imagined a door that demands payment before opening — a fantasy then, but eerily prescient in today’s AI-driven world. While Elon Musk predicts AI will bring global abundance, for traditional media that abundance has already arrived — with devastating consequences.

The question is no longer whether AI changes media, but what role professional journalism can play when information is plentiful, yet truth, context and reality grow scarce.

Dick’s own life — overlooked, depressed and penniless — belied his extraordinary foresight. In The Man in the High Castle, he imagined alternate realities. Today, personalized algorithms, misinformation and AI-generated content make such alternate realities all too real.

Yet Dick’s vision also offers hope through an unexpected link with the ancient Chinese I Ching (Book of Changes). Both suggest reality is not fixed, but a pattern of ever-shifting possibilities. The I Ching asks not “What will happen?” but “What situation am I in, and how should I respond to its changing pattern?” That, arguably, is precisely the role media must adopt in the AI age: providing orientation, credibility and meaning when information itself has lost its scarcity and economic value.

Not all sci-fi is dystopian. Isaac Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics embodied faith that humans could impose rules on technology — yet today’s AI race is far more complex. Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek imagined a moneyless, post-scarcity civilization; AI may be bringing that closer, just as Google’s free search and maps once upended the world.

So where does this leave traditional media? In a Dickian dystopia, media could become a modern-day I Ching — helping people navigate uncertainty, distinguish illusion from reality, and make informed choices when no single truth prevails. In a Roddenberry-esque future, media could guide humanity on how to live wisely with AI-driven abundance.

The practical challenge remains: financing itself in the first scenario and inspiring itself in the second. As Dick warned in The Man in the High Castle, humanity’s “destiny lies in the hands of a few men.” We can only hope some of them are traditional media editors.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/medias-future-tense-in-ai-driven-world-302871740.html

SOURCE China Daily

Continue Reading

Technology

New agentic AI platform sounds death knell for manual presentation tools

Published

on

By

Sembly AI launches Sembly 3.0 in biggest evolution since 2019

SYDNEY, Sept. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Sembly AI launches Sembly 3.0, an agentic AI platform that transforms an organisation’s documents, meetings, and CRM content into finished, fully branded presentations, proposals, case studies and reports in minutes in over 45 languages.

The launch marks the company’s biggest evolution since it was founded in 2019, repositioning Sembly as an “AI execution layer” for businesses. It turns everyday business knowledge into the finished materials companies use to sell, deliver and communicate.

Users simply need to specify their goal (eg, “Sell my services”) and the client’s website, then watch Sembly get to work: pulling information from business materials, deriving appropriate branding, researching the customer, and producing a bespoke on-brand pitch deck.

“Prompts make people think about how to talk to AI. But dialogue lets them focus on what they want to accomplish,” said Gil Makleff, CEO and co-founder of Sembly AI. “That makes creating business documents faster and more efficient, turning time saved into real business impact.”

“Manually creating presentations is a thing of the past,” said Artem Koren, Chief Product & Technology Officer and co-founder of Sembly AI. “Business materials are the substrate of decision-making: they are how companies communicate, persuade and decide. Sembly 3.0 changes how they are made entirely.”

“Your customers want to hear how you serve them in their specific world and their specific situation, and Sembly makes that possible for every customer,” Koren added. “With Sembly 3.0, your results are as good as how clearly you can state your goal. That’s all you’re limited by.”

Early users of Sembly 3.0 report saving two to three weeks of work on reports and presentations that traditionally pass through multiple hands before they are delivery-ready.

Heorhii Tulchyi, Chief Technology Officer at market research company, Bell & Holmes, is one of those early users of Sembly 3.0.

He said: “Sembly has fundamentally changed how I prepare presentations and client communications. It has saved my team and me weeks of work and dramatically accelerated how we turn ideas and information into polished deliverables. I haven’t seen anything else on the market quite like it.”

Sembly 3.0 is available from today at www.sembly.ai.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/new-agentic-ai-platform-sounds-death-knell-for-manual-presentation-tools-302870013.html

SOURCE Sembly AI

Continue Reading

Trending