The Role of the Petrochemical Sector's Exports in the Diversification of the Saudi Economy. A Scenario Analysis of the Foreign and Domestic Price Shocks

Heyran Aliyeva

Javid, Muhammad

Hasanov, Fakhri

04 February 2025

KAPSARC journal article

9

Macroeconomic and Sectoral Effects of Natural Gas Price: Policy Insights from a Macroeconometric Model

Javid, Muhammad

Darandary, Abdulelah

Alyamani, Ryan

Mikayilov, Jeyhun

Hasanov, Fakhri

Shabaneh, Rami

04 February 2025

KAPSARC journal article

8

Concrete: The Non-Critical, Critical Material

Laing, Timothy

02 February 2025

The paper is a commentary on key questions facing the relationship between concrete, the energy transition and the global move to net-zero.

Commentary

6

Ratifying the Kigali Amendment Challenges and Opportunities for Saudi Arabia

Laura Bougary

Awasthy, Aayushi

Aldubyan, Mohammad

23 January 2025

The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol is an international agreement which continues the effort to protect the ozone layer but adds the phase out of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), potent greenhouse gases that contribute significantly to global warming. The international efforts on...

Commentary

6

Evaluating Airport Location Sustainability Performance: A Methodology from Experts and Contextual Perspective

Gonzalez, Juan Nicolas

Felipe Guzman, Andres

23 January 2025

This paper presents a methodology to evaluate the sustainable performance of an airport location. The approach integrates multiple criteria, including transport requirements, environmental impacts, accessibility, economic potential, social impacts, and regulatory acceptability. The m...

Methodology paper

5

Waste-to-Hydrogen Techno-Economic Assessment and Emission Reduction Potential in Saudi Arabia

Adnan Hayat, Muhammad

Elshurafa, Amro

23 January 2025

Waste-to-hydrogen (WTH) presents an enormous untapped potential to achieve climate change objectives for many countries by transitioning from high CO2 emission waste disposal techniques to producing clean fuel such as green hydrogen. Additionally, WTH can be incorporated with carbon ...

Discussion paper

4

Windfalls and Pitfalls: How Foreign Labor Strengthens Economic Resilience in GCC During Energy Transition

Dramane Coulibaly

Luc Desire Omgba

Karanfil, Fatih

20 January 2025

Governments in oil-dependent countries, particularly those in the Gulf, have launched broad and ambitious national plans to diversify their economies. While diversification reduces vulnerability to oil shocks, the expansion of renewables and the deregulation of domestic energy prices...

Discussion paper

3

The Potential Role of Seasonal Pumped Hydropower Storage in Decarbonizing the Power Sector in Saudi Arabia

Naser Odeh

16 January 2025

KAPSARC journal article

6

Designing Long-lasting Inventions for Residential Energy Efficiency

Belaïd, Fateh

15 January 2025

KAPSARC journal article

5

Assessing Impacts of Global Economic Dynamics on the Saudi Economy and Oil Production: A GVAR Analysis

Hatipoglu, Emre

Considine, Jennifer

Aldayel, Abdullah

Galkin, Philipp

14 January 2025

KAPSARC journal article

5

This is the KAPSARC Oil Market Outlook quarterly report that focuses on oil markets supply, demand and balances.

Report

2

A Review Approach to Understanding the Current Status of Port Resilience: Lessons Learned for GCC Ports

Anwar, Ahm Mehbub

Nezamuddin, Nora

12 January 2025

KAPSARC journal article

4

A Maritime Sector in Transition – The Role of Saudi Arabia

Koroma, Michael Samsu

Hasan, Shahid

Nezamuddin, Nora

Fuentes, Rolando

12 January 2025

The maritime sector currently accounts for approximately 2.3% of global CO₂ emissions, with forecasts suggesting that this figure could rise to 10%-13% by 2050 (IMO 2023). This significant increase emphasizes the pressing need for decarbonization to mitigate environmental risks. This...

Commentary

5

Does the Income Elasticity of Energy Demand Vary with the Stages of Economic Development?

Darandary, Abdulelah

Mikayilov, Jeyhun

AlKathiri, Nader

12 January 2025

This paper revisits the empirical evidence on the income elasticity of energy demand by investigating whether it varies with the level of economic development. Our analysis, based on a sample of 111 countries spanning three decades, reveals that the elasticity is not constant and te... 

Discussion paper

5

Roadmap for Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) in Saudi Arabia Insights From Stakeholder Engagement and Expert Survey

Naser Odeh

Belaïd, Fateh

Al Quayid, AlJawhara

Mansouri, Noura

12 January 2025

This paper presents the findings of a survey conducted by KAPSARC, focusing on the role of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology within the framework of Circular Carbon Economy (CCE). The survey, part of the CCE Roadmaps project, aimed to gather insights from diverse stakeholde...

Discussion paper

4

Decarbonizing Land-Based Passenger Transport in Saudi Arabia

Puneet Kamboj

Hejazi, Mohamad

Arora, Anvita

Bhatt, Yagyavalk

12 January 2025

The Saudi government has outlined its decarbonization strategy through various statements and reports, identifying key initiatives, preferred technologies, and investment targets to drive this transformation. In this study, we employ Integrated Assessment Modeling (IAM) to evaluate t...

Discussion paper

5

Climate-Resilient Cities: Priorities for the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries

Belaïd, Fateh

Arora, Anvita

12 January 2025

This edited volume discusses the concept of resilient cities within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. Written by an international panel of scholars and experts, the book presents theoretical approaches, identifies risk factors, and suggests policie...   Read Full Book Here

Book/book chapter

4

Sectoral Clustering and Climate-Tech Startup Financing Through Venture Capital and Private Equity

Cilekoglu, Akin

12 January 2025

In this study, I investigate climate-tech startup financing of venture capital (VC) and private equity (PE) investments across different sectors around the world for the 2022-2024 period. Cross-sectional analysis suggests that start-ups in sectors with higher dynamism (proxied by dea...

Discussion paper

3

Technoeconomic Assessment and Carbon Dioxide Removal Potential for the Global Pulp and Paper Industry

Adnan Hayat, Muhammad

Elshurafa, Amro

12 January 2025

The pulp and paper industry is the fourth largest industrial energy user globally and presents significant carbon removal potential as a large portion of emissions from this industry are biogenic. The decarbonization potential of this industry has been discussed in literature at coun...

Discussion paper

4

In May 2023, the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) organized a workshop titled “The race to decarbonize long-haul transport and the lessons learned for KSA” with the support of the University of Antwerp. The workshop aimed to discuss current developments i...

Workshop brief

3

Anticipating Trend Shifts in Oil Prices Using the Crude Oil Storage Index

Considine, Jennifer

Galkin, Philipp

07 January 2025

We analyze oil price dynamics in the long-, medium and short-term by using the world crude storage index (COSI), a global index reflecting spread options values from crude oil at major ports around the world for all of the major competing crudes.

Discussion paper

4

No Magic Bullet The Challenge of Security Interventions in Phantom Oil Flows

David Soud

Al Suwailem, Majed A.

07 January 2025

The discovery and exploitation of oil and gas significantly transformed the global economy and social welfare landscape. Oil, in particular, became the lifeblood of industrialization, fueling the growth of numerous sectors, including transportation, manufacturing, and electricity gen...

Commentary

2

The Determinants of Successful Energy Subsidy Reforms: A Logistic Regression Analysis

Paul Ekins

Paolo Agnolucci

Gasim, Anwar

Yaseen, Lama

29 December 2024

Many factors influence whether an energy subsidy reform is successful. We define success as a reform that does not lead to social unrest and is not reversed. To better understand these factors, we apply logistic regression analysis to an original dataset capturing 392 distinct episod...

Discussion paper

4

Harnessing Heat from the Refinery and Petrochemical Sectors for Future Commercial-Scale DAC Systems in Saudi Arabia

Feras Rowaihy

Apeaninga, Raphael

Naser Odeh

29 December 2024

As the global community commits to achieving net-zero carbon emissions, innovative strategies such as Direct Air Capture (DAC) are gaining prominence. DAC, a key carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technology, is energy intensive and requires large amounts of heat and electricity. To ensure...

Discussion paper

4

Navigating the Trade and Climate Change Nexus

Monkelbaan, Joachim

19 December 2024

As global efforts to tackle climate change intensify, the intersection of trade and climate policy is increasingly critical. Trade can drive access to clean energy technologies and promote sustainable practices but also risks amplifying emissions through carbon-intensive industries a...

Discussion paper

4

Impact of Urban Traffic on Fuel Consumption Leveraging IoT Data: Case Study of Riyadh City

Shatnawi, Ibrahem

Al Hosain, Nourah

Muhsen, Abdelrahman

Yaseen, Lama

19 December 2024

This study explores the rising trend of traffic congestion in Riyadh and its impact on fuel consumption for passenger cars amid the challenges of rapid urbanization and increasing vehicle use. By utilizing real-time floating car data (FCD) collected by vehicles equipped with Global P...

Discussion paper

4

The Economics of Offshore Wind-Based Hydrogen Production in Saudi Arabia

Ahmed Al-Balawi

Hasan, Shahid

Elshurafa, Amro

18 December 2024

Offshore hydrogen production from offshore wind energy is gaining global attention as an appealing solution for scaling up green hydrogen production. The technoeconomic feasibility of integrating offshore wind into hydrogen production has been explored in various regions, but no comp...

Discussion paper

4

Analyzing the Interplay of Urbanization, Economic Development, and Seaborne Trade A Case of Saudi Arabia

Anwar, Ahm Mehbub

Al Hosain, Nourah

Bhatt, Yagyavalk

18 December 2024

Urbanization is widely recognized as a critical factor influencing economic growth and global trade, yet there is ongoing debate about whether it drives these outcomes or is a consequence of them. To address this, it is essential to determine whether urbanization spurs economic devel...

Discussion paper

4

Environmental Performance of Passenger Cars in the KSA: Comparison of Different Technologies via a Life Cycle Assessment Approach

Koroma, Michael Samsu

Alwosheel, Abdulrahman

18 December 2024

In terms of deployment feasibility, PHEVs and HEVs have a distinct advantage over FCEVs, as they can leverage the existing electricity grid and fueling infrastructure, making them a more practical and readily available solution for reducing near-term emissions in the KSA transportat...

Discussion paper

3

Electric Vehicle Battery Chemistry Evolutions: Critical Mineral Implications

Laing, Timothy

Michael Koroma

Ahmed Al-Balawi

Alwosheel, Abdulrahman

Tetsuo Morikawa

18 December 2024

The energy and transport transition will require a wider volume and range of materials than the systems that it is replacing. This has become an increasingly important topic across both the government and private sectors over the last decade. A crucial component of this materiality i...

Report

6

Carbon Dioxide Utilization in the Desalination Sector in Saudi Arabia: An Opportunity for Achieving Negative Emissions

Yara Elborolosy

Yoshihide Wada

Julian Hunt

Naser Odeh

Thomas Gertin

Hejazi, Mohamad

18 December 2024

The global pursuit of sustainable solutions to mitigate climate change has intensified, necessitating innovative approaches that transform traditional carbon-intensive industries into potential carbon sinks. Carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) is a key tool for achieving n...

Discussion paper

4

Carbon Removal Ratings and their Potential in Saudi Arabia

Alex Rojas

Alex Luke

Ted Christie-Miller

Naser Odeh

18 December 2024

As the global focus on mitigating climate change intensifies, carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies have emerged as critical tools in reducing atmospheric carbon levels. In Saudi Arabia, recent studies have identified direct air capture (DAC) and energy from waste with carbon cap...

Discussion paper

4

Uncertainty in Modeling the Demand for Materials from the Energy Sector at a Country-level: A Case Study of Saudi Arabia

Laing, Timothy

12 December 2024

The material intensity of the energy transition has been a topic of growing importance in the literature and policymaking over the last decade. Much of this debate has been founded on a range of future demand forecasts of the material requirements of the energy transition, primarily ...

Discussion paper

6

How to Create a Hydrogen Market? Lessons from Electricity and Gas Markets on Pricing and Investment Approaches

Hasan, Shahid

Fuentes, Rolando

12 December 2024

To promote low-carbon hydrogen, which is produced in a way that results in no or near-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, for decarbonization, substantial investments are required across the hydrogen value chain. Despite the potential of hydrogen in several applications, various unc...

Discussion paper

6

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Framework for Examining the Environmental Impacts of Asphalt Pavement Mixtures in Saudi Arabia

Ayman Ali Waheish

Shatnawi, Ibrahem

12 December 2024

Energy consumption and transport distance (i.e., the distance between raw... Several environmental impact categories, including stratospheric ozone depletion, photochemical ozone formation, acidification, eutrophication, climate change, and particulate matter formation, were identified.

Methodology paper

5

Towards a CCS National Strategy and Roadmap for Saudi Arabia

Mohammad Abu Zahra

Ahmed Ghoneim

Chris Consoli

Toby Lockwood

Hasan Muslemani

Hussein Hoteit

Abdulkader M Afifi

Naser Odeh

Olivia Azadegan

Adnan Shihab-Eldin

Ward, Colin

Mansouri, Noura

Heidug, Wolfgang

09 December 2024

Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, has long been associated with the production and consumption of hydroacrbons. However, with the increasing concerns over climate change and the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the country has started to explore and...

Discussion paper

5

A Maritime Sector in Transition – Learning from Other Sectoral Energy Transitions

Koroma, Michael Samsu

Hasan, Shahid

Nezamuddin, Nora

Fuentes, Rolando

09 December 2024

The maritime sector currently contributes approximately 2.3% of global CO₂ emissions, with projections suggesting that this share could rise to 10%-13% by 2050, highlighting an urgent need for decarbonization. In response to the potentially catastrophic impacts of climate change, the...

Discussion paper

5

Life Cycle Assessment of Road Freight Decarbonization in Saudi Arabia

Koroma, Michael Samsu

Alwosheel, Abdulrahman

Xu, Xun

09 December 2024

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is committed to transitioning towards a diversified, low-carbon economy, necessitating the decarbonization of its road freight sector, which is a significant source of domestic energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study address...

Discussion paper

4

BRICS+ and the Future of Commodity Markets

Al Suwailem, Majed A.

Galkin, Philipp

05 December 2024

The dissolution of the Soviet Union in late 1991 marked a pivotal shift in the global economic landscape, ushering in an era characterized by increased market openness and economic integration. The years following have been symbolized by the formation of the European Union in 1993 an...

Instant Insight

5

Empowering Change: Overcoming Obstacles in Implementing CCS for Power Generation – Key Takeaways for Global Players

Hasan, Shahid

03 December 2024

Ac...₂emissions, which come primarily from the combustion of fossil fuels, reached a record high level of 37.4 gigatonnes (Gt) in 2022 (IEA 2024). At 38% electricity generation continues to be the largest contributor to these emissions, despite the impressive growth in renewable energy.

Commentary

4

Locating EV Charging Stations to Enable Intercity Travel in Saudi Arabia

Thomas Gertin

Alyamani, Ryan

03 December 2024

The development of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure presents a promising pathway to reduce transportation emissions, particularly when integrated with low-carbon energy systems. Given Saudi Arabia’s commitment to sustainable travel initiatives, a clear understanding of the  charg...

Commentary

5

Behavioral Changes in Household Electricity Consumption from 2015 to 2022

Darandary, Abdulelah

AlKathiri, Nader

02 December 2024

Analyzing the distribution of electricity consumption provides a clearer picture of distinct household segments and their behaviors. This approach allows us to identify clusters of low, moderate, and high consumers, offering insight into usage patterns. Such granularity can guide tar...

Data Insight

3

Key Drivers of Decarbonizing Hard- to-Abate Energy- System Sectors by Midcentury

Apeaninga, Raphael

Puneet Kamboj

Hejazi, Mohamad

02 December 2024

o limit global warming to 1.5°C or 2°C, achieving a net-zero or near-zero greenhouse gas emission energy system by midcentury is essential. This ambitious target requires the decarbonization of hard-to-abate sectors, particularly transportation and heavy industry. This study employs ...

Discussion paper

4

Introduction of Electric Vehicles in Saudi Arabia: Impacts on Oil Consumption, CO2 Emissions, and Electricity Demand

Javid, Muhammad

Al-Mestneer, Raed

02 December 2024

emissions associated with the road transport sector by 2050. On the basis of the projected number of ICE vehicles, we design three scenarios for developing electric vehicles (EVs) (high-, moderate-, and low-growth scenarios) to determine the impact...₂emissions, and electricity demand.

Discussion paper

5

Balancing International Trade and Climate Justice: Legal Perspectives on the EU’s Deforestation Regulation

Tommaso Morotti

Al Suwailem, Majed A.

02 December 2024

Forests play a crucial role as natural carbon sinks and protectors of biodiversity. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, the world lost approximately 4.2 million square kilometers of forest between 1990 and 2020 – an area nearly twice the si...

Instant Insight

3

Phantom Oil Movements: An Investigation into Opaque Ship- to-Ship Operations and Their Role in Sanction Evasion

Alyahya, Fahad

Al Suwailem, Majed A.

Galkin, Philipp

02 December 2024

The transportation and distribution of large volumes of oil, gas, and refined products over long distances are enabled primarily by marine shipping. Transborder pipelines serve as an additional method for transporting oil and gas. However, these pipelines are typically more expensive...

Commentary

3

Approach and Initial Findings in Modeling Future Seaborne Trade and Its Impact on Energy Demand

Alwosheel, Abdulrahman

Anwar, Ahm Mehbub

Dua, Rubal

26 November 2024

) emissions, prompting the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to aim for net-zero shipping greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 to mitigate climate change. Shipping is a critical link between countries for transporting goods, and its future advancements will hinge primarily ...

Methodology paper

4

Digitalized Virtual Power Plants to Unlock the Value of Distributed Energy Resources in the Day-Ahead Market

Moamar Sayed Mouchaweh

26 November 2024

Digitalized virtual power plants (DVPPs) are advanced software platforms that aggregate and optimally orchestrate a collection of distributed energy resources (DERs) to support grid balance and stability to alleviate stressed transmission and distribution lines and provide critical g...

Discussion paper

4

Resilient Digitalized Power Grids with High Penetration of Distributed, Variable Renewable Energy

Moamar Sayed Mouchaweh

25 November 2024

Conventional power grids are undergoing a transition towards digitalized power grids, where cyber, physical, and social domains are tightly coupled through smart components, advanced metering infrastructure, wireless communication /connectivity networks, and digital technologies that...

Discussion paper

4

How the Census-2022 Results Changed the Outlook for Electricity Demand

Al-Mestneer, Raed

Mikayilov, Jeyhun

25 November 2024

This paper aims to address these discrepancies by reestimating an original empirical model of electricity demand using recently revised population data from GaStat (2024). The original model, which was developed by Mikayilov and Darandary (2024), relied on population data from GaStat...

Commentary

3

Export Destination and Firm Upgrading: Evidence from Spain

Cilekoglu, Akin

20 November 2024

KAPSARC journal article

4

Inter-fuel Substitution in the Industrial Sector of Saudi Arabia

Javid, Muhammad

15 November 2024

KAPSARC journal article

4

The Circular Carbon Economy Index 2024 – Results

Aldhuwaihi, Hind

Luomi, Mari

Yılmaz, Fatih

14 November 2024

The 2024 CCE Index provides a multidimensional overview of the current state of net-zero transitions worldwide, covering 125 countries from all world regions. It is based on the holistic, technology-neutral and flexible concept of the circular carbon economy (CCE), where a full CCE i...

Discussion paper

3

Pandemic, Ukraine, OPEC+ and Strategic Stockpiles: Taming the Oil Market in Turbulent Times

James L. Smith

Almutairi, Hossa

Pierru, Axel

12 November 2024

With a simple decomposition method, we estimate the monthly shifts in global oil demand and non-OPEC+ supply since 2010. We find evidence that during the January 2017 to December 2023 period, OPEC+ attempted to stabilize the price of crude oil well below the values assessed by market...

Discussion paper

3

Why Does Sustainable Finance Not Flow into the Global South?

Cilekoglu, Akin

Yılmaz, Fatih

12 November 2024

While private sustainable finance flows have grown substantially in recent years, they are heavily concentrated in certain countries – primarily in a few advanced economies. Emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs) face significant barriers to accessing much-needed private f...

Commentary

6

Unlocking Energy Efficiency in the GCC Built Environment

Belaïd, Fateh

12 November 2024

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, encompassing Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, is distinguished by rapid urbanization, robust economic growth, and substantial energy consumption. The built environment has expanded significantly to ac...

Report

4

Does the Income Elasticity of Energy Demand Vary with the Stages of Economic Development?

Darandary, Abdulelah

Mikayilov, Jeyhun

AlKathiri, Nader

12 November 2024

KAPSARC journal article

4

The Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Assessment of Jet Fuel Production and Consumption

Freddy Segundo Navarro Pineda

Felipe Guzman, Andres

12 November 2024

This paper aims to estimate the life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of jet fuel production and consumption in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) using the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. The system bound­aries include well-­to-­tank (WTT) activities, covering crude oil ...

Discussion paper

5

Critical Minerals and the Oil Industry: The Impact of a Positive Shock to Critical Mineral and World Oil Prices

Hatipoglu, Emre

Considine, Jennifer

Aldayel, Abdullah

Galkin, Philipp

07 November 2024

The term “critical minerals” (CMs) refers to a distinct category of commodities, such as rare earths, critical earth minerals, and other non-fuel minerals or mineral materials that are of strategic importance to national economies and technical development and that have a high risk o...

Commentary

2

Enabling Net-zero Shipping: An Expert Review-based Agenda for Emerging Techno-economic and Policy Research

Anwar, Ahm Mehbub

Bansal, Prateek

Dua, Rubal

06 November 2024

KAPSARC journal article

4

A Perspective on Emerging energy Policy and Economic Research Agenda for Enabling Aviation Climate Action

Felipe Guzman, Andres

Dua, Rubal

06 November 2024

KAPSARC journal article

3

Emerging Energy Economics and Policy Research Priorities for Enabling the Electric Vehicle Sector

Almutairi, Saif

Bansal, Prateek

Dua, Rubal

06 November 2024

KAPSARC journal article

5

Assessing the Impact of Energy Transition Initiatives on the Policy Cost of Saudi Arabia’s Net- Zero Ambition

Apeaninga, Raphael

Gokul Iyer

Page Kyle

Yang Qiu

Puneet Kamboj

Hejazi, Mohamad

05 November 2024

Saudi Arabia’s ambitious goal to achieve a net-zero economy by 2060 offers a unique opportunity for diversification away from fossil fuels while fostering long-term economic resilience and sustainability. Crucial to this transition are energy policies that steer the Kingdom from a fo...

Discussion paper

4

Can the Dangote Refinery Deliver on its Promise?

Umeozor, Evar

03 November 2024

In Nigeria, energy cost is the predominant driver of prices for all goods and services. With a population of over 200 million people, Nigeria is a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and a major producer of crude oil in Africa.

Instant Insight

6

Lessons from an International Review of Successful and Unsuccessful Energy Subsidy Reforms

Paul Ekins

Paolo Agnolucci

Gasim, Anwar

03 November 2024

Many factors contribute to the success of energy subsidy reform. To better understand these factors, we review studies that drew lessons from past attempts at reform. We synthesize the lessons and then expound on them by reviewing our newly constructed database of over 3,000 news art...

Discussion paper

5

Understanding the Causal Nexus Between Saudi’s Seaborne Trade and Economy and Quantifying the Relationship

Al Telmesani, Mohammad

Alwosheel, Abdulrahman

Anwar, Ahm Mehbub

03 November 2024

An economy’s primary objective is to foster high economic growth, ultimately enhancing the well-being of its citizens. Recent economic strategies have increasingly emphasized trade-oriented policies to achieve this goal.

Discussion paper

4

Financing the Decarbonization of Hard-to- Abate Sectors Trends, Issues, and Ways Forward

Yılmaz, Fatih

03 November 2024

Global transition investments have experienced incredible growth and progress, with the increasing level of participation from private actors in recent years. Investment flows in clean technologies have significantly increased since the COVID-19 era, reaching US$1.8 trillion in 2023,...

Commentary

4

Long-Term Forecasting Models of Oil Demand Emerging from the Global Petrochemical Sector

Al-Mestneer, Raed

Bollino, Carlo Andrea

03 November 2024

This study aims to estimate the demand for petrochemical feedstocks for four main products (naphtha, ethane, liquified petroleum gas [LPG], and other petrochemical products) for each of the eight regions of the world.

Methodology paper

4

The Impact of Displacing Fuel Oil on Saudi Refineries

Matar, Walid

03 November 2024

Saudi Arabia aims to displace fuel oil in its electricity system and industry. Such a move ­will impact the operation of its oil refineries, and this commentary explores ­these potential effects.

Commentary

4

K-DSGE 2.0: A Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium Model for Saudi Arabia with Carbon Circular Economy Features

Galeotti, Marzio

Manzano, Baltasar

Almutairi, Hossa

Pierru, Axel

03 November 2024

This paper describes a substantially improved version of K-DSGE, the dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model of the Saudi Arabian economy, developed by KAPSARC researchers.

Methodology paper

3

Hydrogen is a significant part of energy conversations because of its scalability, flexibility, and decarbonization potential. Considerable efforts are underway globally to determine the most effective ways to introduce hydrogen into the energy mix. This report—A Global Hydrogen Futu...

Report

4

Using Satellite Technology to Measure Methane Emissions in Arabian Gulf Countries

Srivatsan Anand

Julian Akani Guery

Gasim, Anwar

Muhsen, Abdelrahman

Matar, Walid

30 October 2024

Decision makers need high-quality information on the level of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to take effective climate actions. Of the GHGs, methane can be particularly difficult to measure. Huge discrepancies exist in methane emission estimates at the global, national, and corporate...

Discussion paper

4

Unveiling the Causal Nexus Between Saudi’s Seaborne Trade and Economy: Evidence from an ARDL Model

Al Telmesani, Mohammad

Alwosheel, Abdulrahman

Anwar, Ahm Mehbub

21 October 2024

KAPSARC journal article

6

The Unfolding Potential of GCC China Collaboration on Critical Minerals

Jianping Ge

Yibo Wang

Ruihua Ren

Chen, Dongmei

15 October 2024

As a clean energy system begins to be implemented worldwide, the demand for critical minerals is expected to increase dramatically in the coming decades. Thus, demonstrating how mineral collaboration benefits the economy is key to building long-term supply resilience and keeping the ...

Discussion paper

3

Are Automakers Overcharging Consumers for Electric Vehicle Batteries?

Sheldon, Tamara

Dua, Rubal

15 October 2024

Vehicle electrification is a major component of many sustainability goals and frameworks. Research suggests that battery costs account for a large portion of the price premium for electric vehicles (EVs) relative to internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) and that price parity, w...

Discussion paper

3

This quarter’s highlights include stagnating quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) oil demand, with a trivial decline of only 8,000 barrels a day (Kb/d), following last quarter’s growth of 1.27 million barrels per day (MMb/d). While significant gains and losses were reported in individual regions...

Report

2

Emissions Effect of Financial Development in the GCC: is The Effect Asymmetric?

Hasanov, Fakhri

14 October 2024

KAPSARC journal article

3

Unraveling the Black Market for Oil: The Complex Web of Phantom Trade and Its Reverberating Effects on Energy Security, Trade Balances, and Social Welfare

Alyahya, Fahad

David Soud

Al Suwailem, Majed A.

14 October 2024

for oil embodies the ancient parable of the blind men and the elephant. Just as the blind men each touched a different part of the elephant and experienced only a fraction of its true nature, so do policymakers perceive the black market for oil through narrow lenses. However, this m...

Discussion paper

2

Azerbaijan: Energy, Carbon, and Opportunities

Sergeeva, Zlata

Ward, Colin

14 October 2024

At the end of 2023, after prolonged discussions, Azerbaijan was selected as the host country of the 2024 United Nations climate summit, COP29. Like the two preceding hosts of COP28 and COP27, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt, Azerbaijan is also a major oil and gas producer.

Commentary

5

Geothermal Energy – A Rising Powerhouse? A Global Technical Review and Applications for Saudi Arabia

Bez Hoxha

Alwosheel, Abdulrahman

Al Suwailem, Majed A.

Ward, Colin

14 October 2024

The Earth’s core, which is as hot as the sun, contains a large amount of thermal energy insulated by impermeable rocks. This energy, totaling 15 million zetta joules, dwarfs traditional energy sources such as coal and gas. However, only a fraction of this energy has been utilized, wi...

Discussion paper

2

he hydrogen industry is at a turning point, as regulatory frameworks and incentive schemes begin to take shape. However, there are still barriers for market participants to commit to production projects and infrastructure, as they face the chicken-and-the-egg dilemma. The King Abdull...

Workshop brief

5

Enabling Net-Zero Shipping An Expert Review-Based Agenda for Emerging Techno-Economic and Policy Research

Kannan Govindan

Anwar, Ahm Mehbub

Bansal, Prateek

Dua, Rubal

14 October 2024

Net-zero shipping is emerging as a global priority, underscored by the shipping sector’s increasing projected contribution to climate change, making it critical to understand the emerging associated research priorities. We outline key techno-economic and policy research priorities fo...

Discussion paper

0

Long-Term Forecasting Models of Oil Demand Emerging from the Global Petrochemical Sector

Al-Mestneer, Raed

Bollino, Carlo Andrea

11 October 2024

KAPSARC journal article

6

Crafting Effective Climate, Energy, and Environmental Policy: Time For Action

Belaïd, Fateh

11 October 2024

KAPSARC journal article

5

Saudi Arabia and the Circular Carbon Economy: From Vision to Implementation

Aldhuwaihi, Hind

Luomi, Mari

06 October 2024

This case study shows how the Circular Carbon Economy (CCE) Index can be used to analyze a country’s CCE performance and enablers in a holistic manner and in a comparative context, relative to other countries. Saudi Arabia is an extremely relevant country to examine in this context g...

Discussion paper

3

Understanding the Role of Renewable Energy in Import Demand for Petrochemicals Is the Prevailing Perception More Imagined Than Real?

Samar Mohamed

Umeozor, Evar

Hasanov, Fakhri

06 October 2024

The prevailing perception is that the transition to renewable energy ­will lead to a decrease in demand for hydrocarbons and petrochemicals. The pre­sent work empirically demonstrates that this common sense may be more imaginary than real: it finds evidence that the renewable energy ...

Discussion paper

5

Fueling India’s Mobility Transition: A Life Cycle Perspective on Passenger Road Transport Options

Koroma, Michael Samsu

Bhatt, Yagyavalk

Roychoudhury, Jitendra

30 September 2024

The transportation sector is crucial for India’s economic and social development but poses significant environmental and global warming challenges. This study conducts a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of passenger vehicles in India, evaluating various propulsion technologi...

Discussion paper

5

Gas Demand in the MENA Hydrocarbon- Producing Countries: Recent Trends and Drivers

Hamdani, Sid Ahmed

30 September 2024

the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with demand reaching more than 700 billion cubic meters (bcm) in 2022 and increasing by almost 50% compared with a decade ago. Gas demand in the MENA region accounts for 17% of the global gas consumption, making it a key demand center.

Commentary

4

Web-Based User Interfaces for Mathematical Models to Support Decisions: The Fuel Distribution Network Optimizer

Alruthai, Amr

Alidrisi, Jaidaa

Al Hosain, Nourah

Shetty, Pavithra Kumar

Muhsen, Abdelrahman

Yaseen, Lama

Matar, Walid

AlGhamdi, Abeer

30 September 2024

Mathematical models provide quantitative analyses that can inform policy decisions. We argue that two attributes can support models’ adoption by policymakers: an intuitive graphical interface and active engagement between modelers and policymakers.

Methodology paper

3

Climate and Cost Analysis of SUVs in Saudi Arabia A Life Cycle Analysis Approach

Koroma, Michael Samsu

Alwosheel, Abdulrahman

Bhatt, Yagyavalk

30 September 2024

This study is conducted within the framework of the Saudi Vision 2030 agenda to diversify its economy and promote sustainable technologies, specifically examining the life-­cycle ­performance of hybrid and conventional sport utility vehicles (SUVs) in the Kingdom (KSA).

Discussion paper

4

Assessing the Potential and Feasibility of Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) Technologies in Saudi Arabia

Yoshihide Wada

Julian Hunt

Naser Odeh

Hejazi, Mohamad

30 September 2024

As the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia strives to achieve its climate goals and transition its economy away from fossil fuel dependency, understanding the viability and impact of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) options becomes paramount.

Discussion paper

4

The Path to 2060: Saudi Arabia’s Long-Term Pathway for GHG Emission Reduction

Gokul Iyer

Page Kyle

Yang Qiu

Puneet Kamboj

Hejazi, Mohamad

24 September 2024

KAPSARC journal article

3

Southeast Asia and the Circular Carbon Economy: A Rapidly Developing Region

Luomi, Mari

Yılmaz, Fatih

12 September 2024

Discussion paper

4

Middle East and North Africa and the Circular Carbon Economy: Seizing the Potential for Action

Laura El-Katiri

Luomi, Mari

Yılmaz, Fatih

12 September 2024

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is an emerging center of energy demand. Economic and population growth, increasing industrialization as well as rising living standards are all expected to contribute to a continued increase in the region’s energy consumption over the co...

Discussion paper

5

An Exposition of Bilinear “Implicit” Subsidy Equations

Matar, Walid

10 September 2024

The price-gap method is popularly applied to estimate energy subsidies, and it simply involves calculating the difference between the market and domestic prices of a good multiplied by the quantity consumed. In the case where subsidies impose foregone revenue rather than direct costs...

Commentary

3

Saudi Arabia’s Population Trends: Insights from the 2022 Census Revision

Raghad Alotaibi

Mikayilov, Jeyhun

08 September 2024

Having ­people as a main focal point of all policies and activities worldwide and at an individual country level sets a responsibility for all countries/institutions to have reliable information on the size, structure, and dynamics of the population that can be used in provision of n...

Commentary

5

Are Households Quitting Electric Vehicle Ownership?

Alexander Edwards

Utkarsh Anand

Bansal, Prateek

Dua, Rubal

03 September 2024

In this paper, we investigate the proportion of U.S. plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) owners who discontinued PEV ownership by disposing of their PEV and buying a non-PEV as their next vehicle, which is termed PEV “discontinuance.”

Discussion paper

4

Emerging Policy and Economic Research Priorities for Enabling the Electric Vehicle Sector

Almutairi, Saif

Bansal, Prateek

Dua, Rubal

01 September 2024

We highlight key emerging research priorities on the climate- and industrial-policy driven pathway to passenger car electrification, including both pure battery electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, using a three-pronged approach. This includes examining journalistic reports...

Discussion paper

3

Emerging Research Priorities for Enabling Aviation Climate Action: Identification and Expert Evaluation

Felipe Guzman, Andres

Dua, Rubal

01 September 2024

Aviation climate action is emerging as a global priority, underscored by the aviation sector’s increasing projected contribution to climate change and the consequential effects of climate change on aviation operations. This makes it critical to understand the emergent associated rese...

Discussion paper

4

Green Jobs and the Saudi Gender Wage Gap: Explained and Unexplained

Mulligan, Cian

01 September 2024

Saudi Arabia has made great strides recently in increasing female labor force participation, reaching the Vision 2030 goal of 30% in late 2020, almost a decade early. With labor force participation achieved, the conversation now turns to labor market outcomes, and an increasing gende...

Commentary

4

Residential Electricity Consumption and Rebound Effects in Saudi Arabia: Insights into Bridging the Energy Efficiency Gap

Belaïd, Fateh

Mikayilov, Jeyhun

01 September 2024

The rebound effect refers to the phenomenon where energy efficiency improvements lead to increased energy consumption, offsetting some of the expected energy savings. This article aims to estimate the direct rebound effect of residential electricity consumption in Saudi Arabia and ex...

Discussion paper

4

Climate Policy Stringency and Trade in Energy Transition Minerals: An Analysis of Response Patterns

Belaïd, Fateh

01 September 2024

KAPSARC journal article

5

Are Automakers Overcharging Consumers for Electric Vehicle Batteries?

Sheldon, Tamara

Dua, Rubal

01 September 2024

KAPSARC journal article

5

The workshop participants voiced a number of diverse views about the prospects for ­future oil demand. They also clearly articulated the need for OPEC spare production capacity as a critical policy tool for the stabilization of world oil markets.

Workshop brief

4

The final COP28 agreement has set an ambitious target by calling for a doubling of the average annual rate of energy efficiency improvement by 2030. To achieve this goal, the current 2% improvement in energy efficiency needs to grow steadily, reaching and maintaining a growth rate of...

Workshop brief

3

Strategic Priorities and Cost Considerations for Decarbonizing Electricity Generation Using CCS and Nuclear Energy

Adnan Hayat, Muhammad

Hasan, Shahid

Elshurafa, Amro

26 August 2024

KAPSARC journal article

4

Net-zero Transport Dialogue: Emerging Developments and the Puzzles They Present

Dua, Rubal

25 August 2024

KAPSARC journal article

4

The Dynamic Role of Subsidies in Promoting Global Electric Vehicle Sales

Sheldon, Tamara

Dua, Rubal

25 August 2024

KAPSARC journal article

3

Strategic Priorities and Cost Considerations for Decarbonizing Electricity Generation Using CCS and Nuclear Energy

Adnan Hayat, Muhammad

Hasan, Shahid

Elshurafa, Amro

25 August 2024

This paper investigates the economics of deploying carbon capture and storage (CCS) on gas-fired power plants while covering its entire value chain, i.e., carbon capture, transport, and storage, and conducting a thorough sensitivity scenario analysis. Our analysis shows that adopting...

Discussion paper

4

Energy is the vehicle that has enabled humanity to flourish. Since the dawn of time, humans have sought to find more efficient ways to power and propel their lives forward. With each generation, humanity has made progress in unlocking energy density, from burning wood to using fossil...

Workshop brief

3

Finding Opportunity in Economic Power Dispatch: Saving Fuels without Impacting Retail Electricity Prices in Fuel-producing Countries

Marie Petitet

Felder, Frank

Elshurafa, Amro

20 August 2024

KAPSARC journal article

4

Assessing CCUS Potential for LNG in the GCC

Sergeeva, Zlata

Ward, Colin

14 August 2024

As the world experiences the energy transition, traditional oil and gas producers are feeling a greater need to decarbonize their hydrocarbon production.

Instant Insight

4

As governments and organisations across the ­Middle East work ­towards achieving their net-­zero agendas, sustainable finance plays a crucial role by raising capital for proj­ects essential to achieving ­these targets. Robust capital markets, supportive regulatory frameworks, and tra...

Workshop brief

3

Measuring Green Jobs in Saudi Arabia: Saudis in Green Occupations

Mulligan, Cian

11 August 2024

This paper offers the first estimate of employment in Saudi Arabia that can be linked to the energy transition. Using a task-based taxonomy devised by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics applied to detailed administrative data on Saudi workers, it is estimated that in 2022 a...

Discussion paper

4

Carbon Capture and Renewable Energy Policies: Could Policy Harmonization be a Puzzle Piece to Solve the Electricity Crisis?

Belaïd, Fateh

01 August 2024

KAPSARC journal article

4

Are American Electric Vehicle Owners Quitting?

Bansal, Prateek

Dua, Rubal

01 August 2024

KAPSARC journal article

5

The Future of Residential Electricity Demand in Saudi Arabia and the Role of Energy Efficiency in the 2060 Net Zero Pledge

Aldubyan, Mohammad

25 July 2024

Abstract Saudi Arabia has set the ambitious goal to reach net zero by 2060, and reducing domestic electricity consumption and thus curbing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is critical. Since the residential sector is the biggest consumer of electricity in the Kingdom, understanding how...

Discussion paper

3

Modelling and Projecting Regional Electricity Demand for Saudi Arabia

Darandary, Abdulelah

Mikayilov, Jeyhun

17 July 2024

KAPSARC journal article

3

Trends in Global Solar Photovoltaic Installation in 2023

Elshurafa, Amro

16 July 2024

In 2023, global solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity increased by a record 407 gigawatts (GW) and brought the total global cumulative installed PV capacity to 1,589 GW at the end of 2023.

Data Insight

2

Impacts of Ride-Hailing on Energy and the Environment: A Systematic Review

Sheldon, Tamara

Dua, Rubal

15 July 2024

Ride-hailing has expanded substantially around the globe over the last decade and is likely to be an integral part of future transportation systems. Through a systematic review of the literature concerning the energy and environmental impacts of ride-hailing, we have identified a dic...

Discussion paper

4

Nudging Toward Sustainability: Behavioral Interventions in Saudi Arabia’s Residential Electricity Consumption

Darandary, Abdulelah

Almutairi, Hossa

08 July 2024

sidential energy consumption is responsible for significant global energy consumption and associated emissions. As a result, households are a prime focus for behavior-modifying interventions. Household energy conservation can be achieved through changes in consumption patterns and in...

Report

3

The Role and Deployment Timing of Direct Air Capture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Net-Zero Transition

Jay Fuhrman

Gokul Iyer

Page Kyle

Yang Qiu

Puneet Kamboj

Hejazi, Mohamad

08 July 2024

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has pledged to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2060. Direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS) is critical for the country to meet its net-zero target given its reliance on fossil fuels and limited options for ...₂) removal (CDR).

Discussion paper

4

The aviation sector, known for its significant emission levels, is facing a...₂ emissions, presents challenges across the short-, medium-, and long-term horizons. As a result, there is a growing focus on addressing the environmental impact of aviation and adopting sustainable practices.

Workshop brief

3

An Emerging Framework for the Probabilistic Cost- Benefit Analysis of the Reliability, Resiliency, and Adaptability of Electric Power Systems

Marie Petitet

Felder, Frank

07 July 2024

Probabilistic cost-benefit analyses of the reliability, resiliency, and adaptability of electric power systems can inform policymakers on how to efficiently reduce the frequency, magnitude, duration, and costs of power outages; how to cost-effectively improve the integration of varia...

Discussion paper

5

Framework for Leveraging the Digitalization of Power Systems within the Context of Energy Transition

Moamar Sayed Mouchaweh

Elshurafa, Amro

07 July 2024

The digitalization of power systems can contribute to a smoother energy transition by, for example, maximizing the use of renewable energy (RE; i.e., minimizing curtailment), peak shaving, and relaxing grid congestion. Collectively, these and other benefits play an important role in ...

Discussion paper

3

Can Smart Cities Be Sustainable: An Emerging Field of Research

Belaïd, Fateh

07 July 2024

Research on smart sustainable cities (SSCs) has fueled a rapid expansion of scholarly work in recent years. However, the key trends and future research avenues in this field are still ambiguous. This article examines the content of SSC research by conducting network and bibliometric ...

KAPSARC journal article

3

Energy Efficiency Trends in Saudi Arabian Commercial Aviation before and after COVID-19

Juan Nicolas Gonzalez

Alwosheel, Abdulrahman

Felipe Guzman, Andres

01 July 2024

KAPSARC journal article

5

Driving Reductions in Emissions: Unlocking the Potential of Fuel Economy Targets in Saudi Arabia

Shatnawi, Ibrahem

Mikayilov, Jeyhun

01 July 2024

The adoption of more stringent fuel economy standards represents a pivotal pathway toward achieving net zero emissions in the transportation sector. By steadily increasing the fuel efficiency of vehicles, this approach drives a gradual but consistent decline in emissions. When couple...

Discussion paper

3

Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) Solutions to Decarbonize LNG: Why, Where and How Much?

Sergeeva, Zlata

Ward, Colin

01 July 2024

In 2019, a new product – carbon-neutral LNG – was born. By 2021, the market for this product had grown rapidly. However, in 2022, the number of announcements about the volumes delivered to customers significantly decreased. To a large extent, this decrease was linked to credibility i...

Discussion paper

6

KEMGEv2: A General Equilibrium Model for Least-Cost Net Zero Emission Pathways in Saudi Arabia

Durand-Lasserve, Olivier

01 July 2024

This paper describes a novel, dynamic, forward-looking applied general equilibrium model of Saudi Arabia that represents interactions between the energy sectors and the rest of the economy. This model serves to produce long-term scenarios that describe possible energy transition traj...

Methodology paper

4

Reaching Net-Zero GHG Emissions in Saudi Arabia by 2060: Transformation of the Industrial Sector

Gokul Iyer

Page Kyle

Yang Qiu

Puneet Kamboj

Hejazi, Mohamad

30 June 2024

The industrial sector plays a crucial role in the economy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Its energy consumption primarily relies on natural gas and oil due to the abundance of these resources and their relatively low administered prices. To reduce oil dependence and create a m...

Discussion paper

4

he global energy landscape is undergoing a profound transformation driven by the urgent need to mitigate climate change and transition toward a sustainable, low-carbon future. The development and deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) and hydrogen technologies are gaining tra...

Workshop brief

5

Accelerating Climate Finance for Saudi Arabia’s Net Zero Ambitions: Green Financing Frameworks

Faisal Yousef

Norah Alorainy

Anas Alghamdi

Alsunbul, Fatimah

Belahmidi, Claudia

Yılmaz, Fatih

27 June 2024

As part of the global climate agenda, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is committed to achieving net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2060 through the Circular Carbon Economy (CEE) approach. To achieve this goal, the Kingdom aims to involve private investors more and advance i...

Instant Insight

3

NOCs and ESG: Room for Refinement?

Belahmidi, Claudia

Arboleda, Julio

24 June 2024

The oil and gas industry has faced investment challenges since 2014. Oil and gas suppliers are still searching for a solution to attract investments from financial institutions and other cautious investors who are hesitant to inject more capital. Factors such as price volatility, unc...

Commentary

4

Decarbonizing Saudi Arabia’s Residential Sector: Designing Behavioral Interventions for Efficient and Sustainable Energy Consumption

Belaïd, Fateh

Darandary, Abdulelah

Almutairi, Hossa

24 June 2024

There is a consensus in the literature regarding the significant role of behavioral change in reducing the level of residential energy consumption. However, there is an ongoing debate concerning the most effective mechanisms and instruments with which to promote energy-efficient acti...

Discussion paper

4

Projecting Saudi Arabia’s CO2 Dynamic Baselines to 2060: A Multivariate Approach

Darandary, Abdulelah

Hunt, Lester C.

Mikayilov, Jeyhun

Gasim, Anwar

12 June 2024

Using an econometric model, we generate scenario projections of CO2 emissions under different sets of assumptions on the underlying drivers. These drivers include GDP, the energy price, economic structure, and the underlying emissions trend. Our baseline scenario projects that Saudi ...

KAPSARC journal article

3

How Can Bilateral Contracts Support Electricity Trade? A Regional Electricity Model Perspective for the GCC Plus Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq

Benjamin Ricaud

Marie Petitet

Felder, Frank

Elshurafa, Amro

11 June 2024

Cross-border electricity trading in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) can provide cost and environmental benefits. However, for historical reasons, electricity trading has not reached a mature stage in this region. Based on a bespoke economic dispatch model for the 2030 horizon...

Discussion paper

4

Impacts of Regional Electricity Demand in Saudi Arabia A Study of the Government Sector

Mikayilov, Jeyhun

AlGhamdi, Abeer

05 June 2024

This research presents a comprehensive analysis of electricity demand factors in Saudi Arabia, focusing on the government sector across different regions.

Commentary

3

Energy Transition in Oil-Dependent Economies: Public Discount Rates for Investment Project Evaluation

Karanfil, Fatih

Pierru, Axel

05 June 2024

The selection of welfare-enhancing projects necessitates the determination of the present value of cash flows from a public policy perspective. For an oil-exporting economy, the domestic energy transition often implies displacing oil from domestic consumption. Economic dependence on ...

Discussion paper

3

Closing the Efficiency Gap: Insights into curbing the direct rebound effect of residential electricity consumption in Saudi Arabia

Belaïd, Fateh

Mikayilov, Jeyhun

04 June 2024

KAPSARC journal article

4

The Role of Renewable Energy and Total Factor Productivity in Reducing Carbon Emissions: A Case of Top-ranked Nations in the Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index

Hasanov, Fakhri

04 June 2024

KAPSARC journal article

3

Which Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) Pathways Can Provide Net-negative Emissions?

Adnan Hayat, Muhammad

Alhadhrami, Khalid

Elshurafa, Amro

01 June 2024

KAPSARC journal article

3

Beyond Efficiency Gains: Addressing the Rebound Effect in Saudi Arabian Residential Cooling

Belaïd, Fateh

Aldubyan, Mohammad

Gasim, Anwar

01 June 2024

KAPSARC journal article

5

Resilience of Saudi Arabia’s Economy to Oil Shocks: Effects of Economic Reforms

Galeotti, Marzio

Manzano, Baltasar

Almutairi, Hossa

Pierru, Axel

30 May 2024

We assess the extent to which the implementation of Vision 2030 policies enhances the Saudi economy’s resilience to oil shocks. Using a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model that captures the country’s economic diversification policies, we build a resilience index based on imp...

KAPSARC journal article

5

Managing the Oil Market Under Misinformation: A Reasonable Quest?

James L. Smith

Almutairi, Hossa

Pierru, Axel

28 May 2024

This paper examines the type and quality of information that OPEC needs to stabilize the oil market. We extend our previous structural model, in which OPEC makes potential mistakes in judging the size of market shocks, to now include the possibility that OPEC misestimates how the mar...

Discussion paper

4

The worldwide endeavor to achieve a low-carbon, sustainable economic future via energy transition technologies emphasizes the significant need for minerals and materials.

Workshop brief

4

How the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act Supports Energy Efficiency and Low-Carbon Buildings

Mahelet G. Fikru

Belaïd, Fateh

27 May 2024

The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) recognizes that buildings account for a significant share of U.S. energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. To address this issue, the IRA includes a range of policies and programs to make energy efficiency and conservation measures more ...

Commentary

3

Toward Just Transitions in the MENA Region: Insights from the 2022 Circular Carbon Economy Index

Laura El-Katiri

Luomi, Mari

Yılmaz, Fatih

23 May 2024

In recent years, it has become increasingly evident that any major effort to reduce emissions will require a whole-of-society approach that brings along people equally within and across countries. As a sign of this notion entering the “mainstream” of global climate governance, a just...

Commentary

3

The New Oil Market Multiverse: Physical Commodity Swaps as Instruments for Circumventing Sanctions and Their Implications for the Global Economy

David Soud

Al Suwailem, Majed A.

23 May 2024

From the global pandemic to the aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, the past few years have witnessed a reordering of global trade flows, most dramatically in the energy sector. Less obviously, these shifts have also precipitated an emerging trend toward alte...

Commentary

3

European Gas Supply Diversification: What Is the Role of Middle Eastern and African Liquefied Natural Gas?

Hamdani, Sid Ahmed

Shabaneh, Rami

23 May 2024

This paper investigates the role of the Middle East and Africa (MEA) in supplying liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe in the context of sustained Russian gas pipeline disruptions.

Discussion paper

3

Forecasting Saudi Arabia’s Non-Oil GDP Using a Bayesian Mixed Frequency VAR

Rothfield, Jeremy

Mansour Al Rajhi

23 May 2024

Bayesian vector autoregressions have been used by central banks to prepare short-term projections of quarterly GDP and other macroeconomic variables. The Bayesian approach offers the advantage that a researcher can use a priori knowledge to specify a prior distribution of the paramet...

Discussion paper

4

This quarter’s highlights include an oil demand quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) growth of 940 Kb/d following last quarter’s declines. While the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries witnessed a QoQ decline of roughly 700 thousand barrels per day (Kb/d) last... 

Report

4

Smart Energy-Saving Technologies and Their Potential Application in Buildings Lessons for Saudi Arabia

Alsunbul, Fatimah

Belaïd, Fateh

Aldubyan, Mohammad

12 May 2024

The increasing demand for energy in our modern world has led to a critical need to conserve energy resources. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) predicts that under the 1.5°C scenario, electricity will be the primary energy carrier in the future, with a threefold incre...

Commentary

5

Energy-from-Waste (Ef W) with Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) in Saudi Arabia

Naser Odeh

12 May 2024

Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies, such as direct air capture (DAC) and bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), are essential for Saudi Arabia to achieve net zero by 2060. It is estimated that approximately 250–371 Mt/y of CDR will be needed by 2060 (Kamboj et al. ...

Commentary

3

The Contribution of Energy to Economic Growth and Convergence

Darandary, Abdulelah

AlKathiri, Nader

12 May 2024

Using a sample of 94 countries, we analyze the contribution of energy to cross-country economic growth and convergence since 1980. By extending the traditional frontier approach to include energy as an additional factor of production, we decompose economic growth into components attr...

Discussion paper

4

Projecting Global Oil Demand for the Buildings Sector

Belaïd, Fateh

Aldubyan, Mohammad

06 May 2024

one of the largest consumers of energy resources, the building sector plays a key role in the evolution of the global energy landscape. Buildings account for approximately one-third of the world’s final energy consumption. This methodology paper aims to provide a projection of oil de...

Methodology paper

2

Decoding the Behavioral Patterns in Saudi Arabia from GASTAT’s Five-Year Household Energy Statistics Survey

Belaïd, Fateh

Darandary, Abdulelah

05 May 2024

This commentary presents the findings of the annual Energy Statistics Survey by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), an ongoing initiative since 2017 that is now in its fifth iteration, which covers 2022. The survey encompasses hundreds of responses from 45,420 households a...

Commentary

6

Assessment of the Potential of Floating Offshore Wind Turbines in the Red Sea

Ahmed Al-Balawi

Felder, Frank

Elshurafa, Amro

Muhsen, Abdelrahman

Nezamuddin, Nora

05 May 2024

Floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs) have recently gained traction and are being installed in several regions of Europe and Asia. These turbines use the same technology as typical offshore wind turbines but are not directly anchored to the seabed. Instead, they are tethered with m...

Discussion paper

5

In 2022, the U.S. passed the “Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)” – legislation that appropriated ~$370 billion as subsidies for measures dedicated to improving energy security and accelerating the clean energy transition, making it the single largest investment in climate and energy in A...

Instant Insight

4

Global Crude Oil Refinery Configurations

Umeozor, Evar

02 May 2024

Crude oil refineries produce finished petroleum products through a series of processing steps known as refinery unit operations. The capacities and varieties of process units, along with their operational characteristics, differentiate one refinery from another.

Commentary

2

Energy Policy Pathways to Inform Climate Policy in Saudi Arabia

Umeozor, Evar

Mansouri, Noura

Matar, Walid

01 May 2024

KAPSARC journal article

4

Macroeconomic, Energy, and Emission Effects of Solar PV Deployment at Utility and Distributed Scales in Saudi Arabia

Hunt, Lester C.

Hasanov, Fakhri

Elshurafa, Amro

01 May 2024

KAPSARC journal article

4

Geothermal – Saudi Arabia’s Next Energy Vector?

Osamah Al-Momen

Al Suwailem, Majed A.

Aldubyan, Mohammad

30 April 2024

For decades, Saudi Arabia’s power sector has heavily relied on hydrocarbons for electricity generation. Their abundant supply, affordability, and differential performance have made them a top choice. A significant portion of this electricity provides power for air conditioning system...

Instant Insight

4

Satellite-Assisted Methane Emissions Intensity from Saudi Oil and Gas Production in 2023

Abdulmalik Kurdi

Gasim, Anwar

Muhsen, Abdelrahman

Matar, Walid

28 April 2024

In its latest release of the Global Methane Tracker, the International Energy Agency (IEA) imputes methane intensity for each oil and gas producer for 2023.

Instant Insight

3

Ecological-behavioral Economics: Impact of Information on Energy-renovation Decision Through Third-party Investing

Belaïd, Fateh

28 April 2024

KAPSARC journal article

4

Modeling Green Hydrogen Production Using power-to-x: Saudi and German Contexts

Alhadhrami, Khalid

Ahmed Al-Balawi

Hasan, Shahid

Elshurafa, Amro

25 April 2024

KAPSARC journal article

3

Global Peak Water Limit of Future Groundwater Withdrawals

Hejazi, Mohamad

22 April 2024

Over the past 50 years, humans have extracted the Earth’s groundwater stocks at a steep rate, largely to fuel the irrigated green revolution of global agro-economic development. Given society’s growing reliance on groundwater, we explore `peak water limits’ to inves...

KAPSARC journal article

4

Smart Cities: Social and Environmental Challenges and Opportunities for Local Authorities

Belaïd, Fateh

Arora, Anvita

21 April 2024

This edited volume discusses the socioeconomic, environmental, and policy implications of smart cities. Written by international experts in energy economics and policy, the chapters present wide range of high quality theoretical and empirical studies at th... This is an open access book

Book/book chapter

3

Modeling the Determinants of Electrical Vehicles Adoption: A Saudi Perspective

Alyamani, Ryan

18 April 2024

KAPSARC journal article

5

Revitalizing Relationships for the Clean Energy Souk

Marie Petitet

Ahmed Al-Balawi

Roychoudhury, Jitendra

Elshurafa, Amro

18 April 2024

The GCC countries have been trading for millennia, and energy transition offers new opportunities to revitalize existing trade relationships and form new partnerships driving growth through innovation. Read More Here

Book/book chapter

4

The Clean Hydrogen Economy and Saudi Arabia

Roychoudhury, Jitendra

Shabaneh, Rami

18 April 2024

This book provides a first-of-its-kind analysis of the emerging global hydrogen economy from the vantage point of one of the world’s biggest energy providers: Saudi Arabia. In 2021, and within the context of the Circular Carbon Economy framework, Saudi Arabia anno... Read Full Book Here

Book/book chapter

4

Impacts of Ride-hailing on Energy and the Environment: A Systematic Review

Sheldon, Tamara

Dua, Rubal

09 April 2024

KAPSARC journal article

5

Energy Price Reform to Mitigate Transportation Carbon Emissions in Oil-Rich Economies

Mikayilov, Jeyhun

Dua, Rubal

02 April 2024

KAPSARC journal article

4

The Circular Carbon Economy Index 2023: Results

Luomi, Mari

Yılmaz, Fatih

Al Shehri, Thamir

31 March 2024

The Circular Carbon Economy (CCE) Index provides a comparative overview of where countries stand on the road to net-zero and how well equipped they are to get there. The CCE Index compiles quantitative data points from 38 robust sources into a composite indicator covering countries r...

Discussion paper

2

Assessing the Impact of Water Price and Water-Use Efficiency on Domestic Water Demand in Saudi Arabia

Javid, Muhammad

31 March 2024

The main objective of this paper is twofold. First, we attempt to identify the main determinants of domestic water demand in Saudi Arabia. In this respect, we estimate two sets of water demand models for Saudi Arabia from 1994 to 2021. In the first model, we estimate water demand as ...

Discussion paper

5

Identifying Leaders in Electricity Innovation Networks Using Twitter (X): A Resource for Policymaking

Elshurafa, Amro

Fuentes, Rolando

28 March 2024

The objective of this study is to map the innovation network in the electricity sector and to identify its pivotal actors to inform policymaking, particularly in Saudi Arabia. This study, which is part of a larger series, aims to identify emerging technologies, antic...
into innovation.

Discussion paper

3

Consumer Preferences for Ride-Hailing: The Barriers to an Autonomous, Shared, and Electric Future

Sheldon, Tamara

Dua, Rubal

28 March 2024

Research has shown that when combined in a mobility-on-demand (MOD) framework, automation, carpooling, and electrification have the potential for theoretically large emission reductions. However, there is insufficient research regarding the consumer preferences for and behavioral res...

Discussion paper

4

The Role of Congestion Pricing in Boosting Public Transport Efficiency: An Overview of Its Impact on Congestion Reduction and Emission Control

Shatnawi, Ibrahem

25 March 2024

The road transportation sector in Saudi Arabia, like that in many countries worldwide, has played a significant role in contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for a substantial 21% of total CO₂ emissions in 2019 .

Commentary

5

The Cost of Green Hydrogen Production in Saudi Arabia and Germany: A Model-Based Approach

Alhadhrami, Khalid

Ahmed Al-Balawi

Hasan, Shahid

Elshurafa, Amro

25 March 2024

With over seventy countries setting net-zero commitments by or around mid-century, low-carbon hydro...₂) is expected to play a pivotal role in the decarbonization of the global economy, especially sectors less dependent on electricity, which are often termed as hard-to-abate industries.

Discussion paper

4

The circular carbon economy (CCE) builds on the principles of the circular economy and applies them to managing carbon emissions: to reduce the carbon that must be managed in the first place, to reuse carbon as an input to create feedstocks and fuels, to recycle carbon through the na...

Workshop brief

3

As shipping has the advantage of being the most cost-effective mode of transportation, it will continue to grow with increasing international trade flows. Therefore, this advantage must be leveraged to achieve the long-term goals of the maritime industry.

Workshop brief

3

Saudi Arabia’s Revealed Comparative Advantage in Non-Oil Exports

Javid, Muhammad

Darandary, Abdulelah

25 March 2024

The revealed comparative advantage (RCA) is based on Ricardian trade theory, which postulates that trade flows between countries are determined by their relative productivity differences. The RCA index provides a general indication and a first approximation of a country’s competitive...

Commentary

5

Achieving Net-Zero GHG Emissions of Saudi Arabia by 2060: The Transformation of the Building Sector

Gokul Iyer

Page Kyle

Yang Qiu

Puneet Kamboj

Belaïd, Fateh

Hejazi, Mohamad

Aldubyan, Mohammad

25 March 2024

In this paper, an economy-wide, net-zero pathway that enables Saudi Arabia to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2060 is investigated, with a specific focus on the critical role played by the building sector. An exploration is undertaken of the significance of energy effici...

Discussion paper

5

The Asymmetric Effects of Oil Prices on the Nonoil Trade Balance: The Case of Saudi Arabia

Almozaini, Majed

Hasanov, Fakhri

21 March 2024

Oil prices play a pivotal role in the economies of oil-exporting countries, especially those in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

Commentary

4

Identifying Emerging Challenges and Priorities for Aviation Decarbonization

Felipe Guzman, Andres

Bansal, Prateek

Dua, Rubal

18 March 2024

Decarbonization of the aviation sector has emerged as a global concern because the sector contributes 2%-3% to total global greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, it is critical for us to understand the associated emerging challenges. We determine key research priorities for achieving effec...

Report

3

Mapping the Net-Zero Pathways for Sustainable Transport Systems in Saudi Arabia: The Role of Life Cycle Assessment

Michael Koroma

Arora, Anvita

18 March 2024

Net-zero pathways have become a key climate goal that can help promote a carbon-neutral future by balancing anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with emissions removed from the atmosphere. These pathways provide strategic frameworks and roadmaps for countries to reduce GHG em...

Commentary

4

Long-term Issues with the Energy-Only Market Design in the Context of Deep Decarbonization

Marie Petitet

17 March 2024

KAPSARC journal article

5

Finding Opportunity in Economic Dispatch: Saving Fuels Without Impacting Retail Electricity Prices

Marie Petitet

Felder, Frank

Elshurafa, Amro

17 March 2024

For important domestic public policy reasons, many oil- and natural-gas-producing countries allocate fuels to their electricity sector at administratively set prices that are below fuel opportunity costs. This article shows that dispatching power units based on fuel opportunity costs...

Discussion paper

3

Paris Agreement Article 6 and Geological CO2 Storage: The State of Affairs After COP 28

Luomi, Mari

Heidug, Wolfgang

17 March 2024

This KAPSARC commentary focuses on the role of CCS within the market mechanisms defined in Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. It discusses how related technologies fit under Article 6 and examines the current progress in implementing this article. The analysis draws insights from the ...

Commentary

4

Extended KGEMM’s Emission Block With Carbon Pricing

Almozaini, Majed

Heyran Aliyeva

Bollino, Carlo Andrea

Hasanov, Fakhri

12 March 2024

This methodological work develops a representation of carbon pricing through the KAPSARC Global Energy Macroeconometric Model (KGEMM). This representation makes two principal contributions in terms of model capabilities: establishing a feedback link from the emissions block to the en...

Methodology paper

4

Charting the Evolution of Electricity Sector Startups: A Methodological Note

Fuentes, Rolando

10 March 2024

This commentary provides an update on ongoing research on innovation in the electricity sector. This project aims to identify emerging technologies early, anticipate changes, and discern the key drivers and their connections in the innovation landscape. This research can serve as a t...

Commentary

4

Fueling the Transition in the Maritime Sector: What Are the Current Status and Path Ahead?

Michael Koroma

Anwar, Ahm Mehbub

Nezamuddin, Nora

10 March 2024

The continued demand for global seaborne trade is estimated to have accounted for 85.9% of world trade in 2023, with demand reaching 12 billion tons. As with the growth in demand, the continued growth in CO₂ emissions from global shipping, which currently contributes an estimated 2.1...

Commentary

4

Efficiency in Motion: The Potential of the Newly Launched Bus System in Riyadh

Al Hosain, Nourah

Yaseen, Lama

10 March 2024

Public transportation is an essential component of a functional, well-planned transportation system. It provides a cost-effective, convenient mode of commuting within a city, especially in densely populated cities such as Riyadh.

Commentary

4

The Life Cycle Assessment of Jet Fuel Production and Consumption – A Methodology for Saudi Arabia’s Aviation Sector

Freddy Segundo Navarro Pineda

Felipe Guzman, Andres

10 March 2024

Life cyc... net-zero targets. The International Civil Aviation Organization has also developed a methodology to evaluate life cycle greenhouse gas emissions for aviation fuels that aligns with the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation sustainability criteria.

Methodology paper

5

Climate Change and Transboundary Challenges in Middle East and Africa (MEA)

Hatipoglu, Emre

Roychoudhury, Jitendra

04 March 2024

The world’s largest climate summit, the Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), between 30 November and 12 December 2023, is a landmark moment in our planet’s future. With...   Read Book Chapter 

Book/book chapter

3

Inverse Product Differentiation Logit model: Holy Grail or Not?

Bansal, Prateek

Dua, Rubal

01 March 2024

KAPSARC journal article

5

Navigating Energy Diplomacy in Times of Recovery and Conflict: A Study of Cross-border Energy Trade Dynamics

Belaïd, Fateh

Osman Zeki Gökçe

Hatipoglu, Emre

29 February 2024

KAPSARC journal article

5

the world continues to grow and urbanize, the significance of cities will also increase. Urban development is lengthy and costly, justifying the need for effective urban planning. Urban planning is a complex process with many often competing objectives, including sustainability and e...

Workshop brief

5

Developing clean hydrogen industries and markets are strategically crucial for Saudi Arabia and China to achieve their net-zero climate goals. Saudi Arabia has made significant progress in hydrogen development from extraction to commercialization. Different options for galvanizing cl...

Workshop brief

4

The Role of Circular Economy for Plastic Waste Management

Umeozor, Evar

17 February 2024

In March 2022, in Resolution 5/14, the United Nations Environment Assembly requested that the UN Environment Programme set up an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, which included the marine environment....

Data Insight

4

Impacts of Electricity Price Reform on Saudi Regional Fuel Consumption and CO2 Emissions

Soummane, Salaheddine

Darandary, Abdulelah

Mikayilov, Jeyhun

14 February 2024

KAPSARC journal article

6

Smart Transportation Systems in Smart Cities: Practices, Challenges, and Opportunities for Saudi Cities

Anwar, Ahm Mehbub

Oakil, Abu Toasin

08 February 2024

Smart transportation is an approach that incorporates modern technologies into transportation systems to improve the efficiency of urban mobility. Cities worldwide call digital technologies to harness their development to address potential challenges and conc...   Read Book Chapter

Book/book chapter

4

Smart Cities Initiatives and Perspectives in the MENA Region and Saudi Arabia

Belaïd, Fateh

08 February 2024

This chapter focuses on the evolution of smart cities in developing countries. It starts by mapping the definitions and evolutions of smart cities concepts. Then it outlines the progress and current practices that emerging economies, in general, have achieved...   Read Book Chapter

Book/book chapter

5

Smart Energy Cities: The Role of Behavioral Interventions in Reducing Electricity Demand in Buildings in Principality of Monaco

Belaïd, Fateh

08 February 2024

With energy powering the most attractive aspects of urban environments in modern society, from health, transportation, and comfort to information, business, and leisure, energy cities are perfectly positioned to design the smart city of the future by leveragi...   Read Book Chapter

Book/book chapter

6

Productivity of the Saudi Private Sector

AlKathiri, Nader

06 February 2024

This data insight sheds light on the correlation between the productivity of the private sector and the share of Saudi workers in the private sector labor force.

Data Insight

2

This quarter’s oil demand highlights include another muted quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) demand growth in Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries, while non-OECD countries experienced greater growth. Continued monetary tightening policies, fears over weakening sign...

Report

2

The Status of Nuclear Energy in Saudi Arabia: A Strategic Approach to Energy Security and Sustainability

Mansouri, Noura

01 February 2024

Saudi Arabia’s strategic adoption of nuclear energy, in alignment with Vision 2030, represents a crucial step towards energy security and sustainability. The integration of nuclear power offers grid stability, low emissions, cost-effective electricity g... Read full report on here

Report

4

Will Small Modular Reactors Drive the Envisioned Expansion of Nuclear Energy Within the Energy Transition?

H-Holger Rogner

Adnan Shihab-Eldin

Mansouri, Noura

01 February 2024

This paper evaluates the role of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in the global shift towards sustainable energy, driven by the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement. It highlights nuclear energy’s importance for achieving Net Zero Emissi... Read Full Report here

Report

4

India’s Shift Toward Alternative Fuel Vehicles: An Overview

Alwosheel, Abdulrahman

Bhatt, Yagyavalk

30 January 2024

Data Insight

4

Insights About the Third Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to Develop an International Legally Binding Instrument on Plastic Pollution

Nawaf Al Nafisee

Arboleda, Julio

22 January 2024

The third session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on Plastic Pollution took place in Nairobi, Kenya, from November 13-19, 2023. This session marks the third of five planned gatherings aimed at developing a global agreement to address the issue of plastic pollutio...

Instant Insight

4

IMO GHG Emission Reduction Strategy: Insight into the Alignment of Saudi Arabia’s Efforts at Maritime Decarbonization

Anwar, Ahm Mehbub

Nezamuddin, Nora

22 January 2024

session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 80), where they adopted a revised strategy to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from international shipping (KSA IMO 2023c). The initial GHG emission strategy was adopted in 2018 during the MEPC 72, and since then, the...

Commentary

4

Saudi Arabia Net-Zero GHG Emissions by 2060: Transformation of the Transport Sector

Gokul Iyer

Page Kyle

Yang Qiu

Puneet Kamboj

Hejazi, Mohamad

22 January 2024

Decarbonizing the transport sector will likely play a crucial role for Saudi Arabia in fulfilling its target of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2060. While clear and immediate low-carbon or zero-carbon alternatives exist in some sectors, the transport sector faces...

Discussion paper

4

The Role of Intelligent Transportation Systems and Artificial Intelligence in Energy Efficiency and Emission Reduction

Ahmad Alsharoa

Omar Rinchi

Shatnawi, Ibrahem

Arora, Anvita

22 January 2024

Despite the technological advancements in the transportation sector, the industry continues to grapple with increasing energy consumption and vehicular emissions, which intensify environmental degradation and climate change. The inefficient management of traffic flow, the underutiliz...

Commentary

2

Assessing the Impact of Electric Vehicle Penetration on Electricity Demand in Riyadh

Marie Petitet

Mikayilov, Jeyhun

Dua, Rubal

22 January 2024

This paper aims to assess and estimate the impact of electric vehicle (EV) penetration on annual electricity demand, specifically in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia. Such an assessment can yield significant insights for stakeholders, including policymakers, energy planners, ...

Commentary

4

he signing and subsequent ratification of the 2015 Paris Agreement, followed by the consequent net-zero emission target pledges of individual countries, have galvanized the global focus on decarbonization activities. The transport sector contributes almost a quarter of all energy-rel...

Workshop brief

4

Modeling Long-Term Oil Demand in the Agricultural Sector

Belaïd, Fateh

Aldubyan, Mohammad

17 January 2024

he agricultural sector and global food security are facing an increasing number of risks due to climate change, the increasing population size, rising energy and agricultural demands, competing demands for land for biofuel production, and the degradation of soil quality. Between 2001...

Methodology paper

4

Economic Growth and Convergence: Implications of Energy Transition Pathways

Darandary, Abdulelah

AlKathiri, Nader

17 January 2024

The 44th International Association for Energy Economics (IAEE) conference was held in Riyadh, co-hosted by KAPSARC and the Saudi Association for Energy Economics (SAEE). It was the first IAEE conference in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The main theme was “Pathways t...

Commentary

3

A Meta-Analysis of the Long-Term Oil Demand Emerging from the Power Sector

Marie Petitet

Al-Mestneer, Raed

09 January 2024

il is a versatile source of energy that is used in various sectors, including the power sector. The power sector is transitioning toward low-carbon generation sources. During this transition, it is important to understand the role of oil-based power generation. This paper presents a ...

Methodology paper

3

Trend in Eurasia’s Seaborne Trade and Vessel Capacity Between 2013 and 2021

Al Telmesani, Mohammad

Alwosheel, Abdulrahman

Anwar, Ahm Mehbub

09 January 2024

International trade between countries and across regions has existed for centuries. Moreover, international trade saw a significant increase in its growth from 1950 to 2000, with trade volume growing at an average rate of 6% per year. The concept of trade comprises both exporting and...

Commentary

3

Kazakhstan – Saudi Arabia: Crossroads

Sergeeva, Zlata

Ward, Colin

09 January 2024

On July 23, 2022, official talks occurred between Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud and Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Jeddah. During the meeting, the parties confirmed their intention to intensify mutual trade. At the same time, companies in th...

Commentary

5

Drivers of Unconditional Income Convergence

AlKathiri, Nader

05 January 2024

KAPSARC journal article

5

Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) and Energy Consumption – Global and Local Contexts

Parvesh Kumar

Arora, Anvita

Muhsen, Abdelrahman

04 January 2024

There is growing concern about the environmental impact of transport systems. The increase in energy consumption and vehicle emissions is the main contributor to the problem. Several studies have tested hypotheses about the relationship between the urban structure, especially high de...

Commentary

2

Behavioral Efficiency Improvement via Freight Digitalization as a Viable Near- Term Strategy to Decarbonize the Difficult-To-Abate Road Freight Sector in China and Other Developing Countries

Xiaobo Liu

Dandan Li

Mi Gan

Zhandong Xu

Tianduo Peng

Xu, Xun

04 January 2024

The containment of road freight transport emission growth is a significant challenge to climate change mitigation, as the road freight sector has been one of the fastest growing sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and is considered particularly difficult to decarbonize (ITF 202...

Discussion paper

3

Impact on Energy Consumption and Emissions of Variations in Aircraft Seating Density Designation from Manufacturers’ Recommendations

Almutairi, Saif

Alwosheel, Abdulrahman

Felipe Guzman, Andres

04 January 2024

Aircraft capacity utilization is an important factor in airline productivity, but airlines are not using the maximum seating density designations recommended by manufacturers to accurately represent efficiency or performance.

Commentary

4

Rising ambitions for an energy transition are changing how energy suppliers and consumers think about fuel supply chains. These energy transition ambitions have revitalized interest in alternative energies and technological solutions that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to comb...

Workshop brief

2

Consumer Preferences for Ride-hailing: Barriers to an Autonomous, Shared, and Electric Future

Sheldon, Tamara

Dua, Rubal

01 January 2024

KAPSARC journal article

3

The Importance of the Suez Canal for Global Energy Flow

Selemankhel, Malik

Al-Mestneer, Raed

26 December 2023

On March 23, 2021, the Ever Given, a northbound ship loaded with more than 18,000 containers from China to the Netherlands drifted off course and became stuck in a single-lane section of the Suez Canal. As a result, hundreds of ships carrying food, oil, chemicals, and other goods wer...

Commentary

4

Estimating Car Price Elasticity Using an Inverse Product Differentiation Logit Model

Jinghai Huo

Bansal, Prateek

Dua, Rubal

26 December 2023

Since the seminal work of Berry, Levinsohn, and Pakes (1995), random coefficient logit (RCL) has become the workhorse model for estimating demand elasticities in markets with differentiated products using aggregated sales data. While the ability to represent flexible substitution pat...

Methodology paper

3

Urban Transportation Challenges in Saudi Arabia: Micromobility as a Solution to First and Last Mile

Shatnawi, Ibrahem

Al Hosain, Nourah

Yaseen, Lama

24 December 2023

The transportation sector plays a significant role in global carbon emissions and environmental challenges. On a worldwide scale, the aggregate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions attributed to transportation amount to approximately 14.3% of total emissions. Notably, road transport emissi...

Commentary

5

Building energy efficiency is a critical component of efforts to address climate change and achieve sustainable development and can potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money, lower energy bills, create new jobs, and improve occupants’ indoor comfort and quality of life....

Workshop brief

4

Saudi Arabia’s High Borrowing Rates and Surging Deposits

Darandary, Abdulelah

14 December 2023

• Rise in Other Quasi-Money Deposits: The paper also examines the implications of a record-high in other quasi-money deposits, signifying an increased interest in alternative ways to save and invest money. This trend may be a response to changing economic conditions, attractive intere...

Data Insight

4

Role Of LPG In Enabling A Just And Inclusive Energy Transition In Africa And The Arab Region

Mustafa Ansari

Sean Ratka

Awasthy, Aayushi

Belaïd, Fateh

Radia Sedaoui

Hejazi, Mohamad

14 December 2023

Globally, 2.3 billion people still lack access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking (CFTs) today, with an overwhelming majority residing in rural areas. Without a dramatic increase in investment and action for scalable solutions, 1.9 billion people will remain without access t...

Report

5

Will Government Support for CCS-EOR Lead to Reduced Emissions?

Almutairi, Hossa

Pierru, Axel

14 December 2023

Government support for CCS-EOR projects is often contested on the grounds that the resulting increase in oil production undermines their environmental benefits. This paper summarizes a simple approach based on a marginal reasoning consistent with economic decision-making. It produces...

Report

5

Enabling Blue Hydrogen for a Low- Carbon Future: Certifying Emissions and CO2 Storage

Shabaneh, Rami

Heidug, Wolfgang

14 December 2023

As part of a diverse energy portfolio, hydrogen can support global efforts toward transitioning to a more sustainable energy system. This would align with climate goals, such as those outlined in the Paris Agreement. For hydrogen to fulfill this potential, its production method needs...

Discussion paper

3

Are the Income and Price Elasticities of Economy-wide Electricity Demand in Middle-income Countries Time-varying? Evidence From Panels and Individual Countries

Brantley Liddle

Hasanov, Fakhri

12 December 2023

KAPSARC journal article

3

The Role of Financial Development in Private Sector Growth in Saudi Arabia

Darandary, Abdulelah

Alyamani, Ryan

Hasanov, Fakhri

11 December 2023

Saudi Vision 2030 (SV2030), the masterplan for the socioeconomic development of the Kingdom, places considerable emphasis on the development of the private sector in the diversification of the economy. This plan aims to have the private sector account for 65% of the total GDP of the ...

Discussion paper

4

Using Satellite Technology to Measure Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Saudi Arabia

Gasim, Anwar

Muhsen, Abdelrahman

Matar, Walid

07 December 2023

Measuring and monitoring greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are crucial to address climate change and fulfill Paris Agreement objectives. This paper explores the potential of satellite technology in measuring and tracking CH4, CO2, and N2O emissions in Saudi Arabia, collaborating with en...

Discussion paper

4

Saudi Arabia Net Zero GHG Emissions by 2060: Transformation of the Electricity Sector

Gokul Iyer

Page Kyle

Yang Qiu

Puneet Kamboj

Alhadhrami, Khalid

Hejazi, Mohamad

05 December 2023

Under its Vision 2030 targets, Saudi Arabia is working to steer the nation toward a sustainable future. The Kingdom has recently amplified its sustainability goals, announcing its intention to achieve net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2060. As part of this renewed commitment...

Discussion paper

4

The CO2 Cost of Idling: Road Traffic Congestion Plays a Role

Yaseen, Lama

04 December 2023

Road-traffic relief is essential for big cities. It can be achieved by various infrastructure improvements to remove the reliance on motorized vehicles by optimizing different modes of urban mobility.

Data Insight

5

Net Zero Emissions in Saudi Arabia by 2060: Least-Cost Pathways, Influence of International Oil Price, and Economic Consequences

Durand-Lasserve, Olivier

30 November 2023

This paper presents possible net zero emissions (NZE) trajectories for Saudi Arabia at horizon 2060 and analyzes their possible economic consequences. We use an in-house hybrid forward-looking general equilibrium model of the Saudi economy. We construct a baseline scenario where the ...

Discussion paper

3

Powering the Future of Aviation: Exploring the Role of Hydrogen and Power-to- Liquid in Sustainable Aviation Fuels

Rick Westerdale

Brian DaRin

Alwosheel, Abdulrahman

30 November 2023

emissions by 80% (Airbus 2023). The aviation industry aims to produce enough SAFs to meet aviation fuel demand by 2050, with power-to-liquid (PtL) technology emerging as an alternative pathway for SAF production. This paper provides insights into the application and deployment of th...

Commentary

3

Long-Term Decarbonization Pathway for Saudi Arabia To Reach Net Zero GHG Emissions by 2060

Gokul Iyer

Page Kyle

Yang Qiu

Puneet Kamboj

Hejazi, Mohamad

29 November 2023

Saudi Arabia is a signatory to the 2015 Paris Agreement. It has updated its nation...₂ eq) by 2030. In the lead-up to COP 26 and joining the global efforts, under the umbrella program of the Saudi Green Initiative, Saudi Arabia announced its pledge to achieve net zero emissions by 2060.

Discussion paper

4

Worldwide intraregional and interregional air passenger traffic volume distribution

Alwosheel, Abdulrahman

Felipe Guzman, Andres

Dua, Rubal

23 November 2023

Data Insight

4

Gasoline and Diesel Prices in the OECD, China, and India: How Do They Behave During Volatile Times?

Sergeeva, Zlata

Arboleda, Julio

Mulligan, Cian

Bollino, Carlo Andrea

22 November 2023

. Together, they have compiled a dataset aimed at elucidating how the prices of gasoline and diesel evolved during this three-year span and which factors played a more significant role in determining the prices. Presented at a country level on a monthly basis, the data facilitates th...

Report

4

Trends in Global Solar PV Installation in 2022

Elshurafa, Amro

21 November 2023

We briefly comment on global solar PV installations for 2022, and provide insights on the record-breaking trend that this industry has been witnessing for the past 15 years.

Data Insight

3

Is the Shale Oil Rush Over?

Arboleda, Julio

Al Suwailem, Majed A.

Al Sadoon, Hamid M.

Considine, Jennifer

Ward, Colin

20 November 2023

he California Gold Rush was a time of exuberance and technological development in the mining sector and exhibits significant parallels with shale development that are worth exploring. The easy wins of the pioneers gave way to larger organizations with better funding and technology, s...

Discussion paper

5

Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Deployment of Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage Pathways (BECCS) Globally

Adnan Hayat, Muhammad

Alhadhrami, Khalid

Elshurafa, Amro

20 November 2023

) from processes that utilize bioenergy to produce heat, electricity or biofuels. However, this tec...₂ ($/tCO₂), respectively. Other technologies, such as poplar pellets, forest residue and agricultural residue with trans-Atlantic shipments, are not able to achieve negative emissions. 

Discussion paper

4

This quarter’s oil demand highlights include muted quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) demand growth from OECD countries, while non-OECD countries are experiencing declines in line with seasonal patterns. Monetary tightening policies, particularly in OECD countries, have stalled due to ongoing ...

Report

5

Implications of Climate Policy on Energy Poverty

Puneet Kamboj

Belaïd, Fateh

Hejazi, Mohamad

Yılmaz, Fatih

13 November 2023

This article examines the complex issue of energy poverty and its various dimensions, including energy access and affordability. It explores the challenges of addressing energy poverty and the trade-offs that may exist between energy poverty and climate change policy.

Discussion paper

4

Energy Policy Pathways to Inform Climate Policy in Saudi Arabia

Umeozor, Evar

Mansouri, Noura

Matar, Walid

13 November 2023

e). In this regard, this paper contributes a modeling view of the climate-related effects of various energy policies on the Saudi energy system. The baseline entails the continued progression of current domestic policies ...₂ emissions equal to those displayed in the announced policies.

Discussion paper

4

Eyes Off the Prize? Labor Flows in the Saudi Oil Industry 2019-2023

Mulligan, Cian

13 November 2023

While much attention has been paid recently to oil and gas investment gaps, there has also been a rising chorus of analyses highlighting an emerging talent gap in traditional energy industries.

Commentary

3

Climate Futures Report

Hejazi, Mohamad

01 November 2023

Report

4

Chapter 7. Energy and Industry

Hejazi, Mohamad

01 November 2023

Report

3

3-Degrees Warmer World

Hejazi, Mohamad

01 November 2023

Report

4

Renewables and Geopolitics in the Middle East

Al-Sarihi, Aisha

Hatipoglu, Emre

Efird, Brian

01 November 2023

The energy transition is fundamentally transforming geopolitics, with renewable energy and other decarbonization options reshaping existing energy markets, trade flows, and energy security strategies. What new opportunities and challenges await us? Will it p...   Read Book Chapter 

Book/book chapter

3

The Effects of a Shock to Critical Minerals Prices on the World Oil Price and Inflation

Hatipoglu, Emre

Considine, Jennifer

Aldayel, Abdullah

Galkin, Philipp

01 November 2023

KAPSARC journal article

4

Worldwide Intraregional and Interregional Air Freight Traffic Volume Distribution

Alwosheel, Abdulrahman

Felipe Guzman, Andres

Dua, Rubal

26 October 2023

Freight by air does not comprise a significant share of the worldwide tonnage due to its cost compared to land (road and rail) and sea transport. However, air freight is important for commodities that either have high values or are time-sensitive. For instance, documents, perishable ...

Data Insight

4

Global Crude Oil Refining Capacities

Umeozor, Evar

26 October 2023

Data Insight

2

Recent Developments and Trends in Cybersecurity in the Power Sector

Muhammad Khurram Khan

Ahmed Al-Balawi

Felder, Frank

26 October 2023

The power sector is a crucial component of critical national infrastructure, and its continuous and resilient operation underpins the socioeconomic prosperity of any nation. Energy security is a priority in many regions of the world, as it is essential for economic growth and prosper...

Commentary

3

Saudi Arabia’s Population, GDP, and Seaborne Trade

Al Telmesani, Mohammad

Alwosheel, Abdulrahman

Anwar, Ahm Mehbub

26 October 2023

This infographic tells the story about Saudi Arabia’s population, GDP, and seaborne trade. It shows the trade between Saudi Arabia and the rest of the world.

Data Insight

4

US’s Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs) Program Key Takeaways for Global Players

Hasan, Shahid

25 October 2023

From the launch of federal energy and research agencies in the 1970s to the enactment of legislation dedicating resources to clean energy research and the creation of the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy , the US has had a rich history of market evolution. These devel...

Commentary

2

World’s Population, GDP, and Seaborne Trade

Al Telmesani, Mohammad

Alwosheel, Abdulrahman

Anwar, Ahm Mehbub

25 October 2023

Data Insight

4

Global Geothermal Electricity and Heat Generation Since 2000

Alwosheel, Abdulrahman

25 October 2023

Geothermal energy is a form of renewable energy generated by tapping into the Earth’s internal heat. This heat is produced by the radioactive decay of minerals and the original heat of the Earth, which dates to its formation. There are several ways to generate electricity from ...

Data Insight

6

Aircraft seating capacity designation by selected airlines in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia/Pacific, North America, and Latin America

Almutairi, Saif

Alwosheel, Abdulrahman

Felipe Guzman, Andres

25 October 2023

Aircraft capacity utilization is one of the main factors in an airline’s productivity. It is also vital when analyzing both energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in the aviation sector per passenger. In fact, the energy consumption by passengers in aviation has e...

Data Insight

5

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Aerodynamic Improvement Technologies for Road Freight Transport in Saudi Arabia

Dua, Rubal

Xu, Xun

25 October 2023

For the last several decades, road freight transport has been one of the fastest growing energy- and oil-consuming sectors in Saudi Arabia. With sustainability being one of the key pillars of Vision 2030 and given the Kingdom’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, decar...

Commentary

4

How Can the European Energy Crisis Reshape the Power Sector Reform Endeavors of GCC Countries?

Marie Petitet

Felder, Frank

Elshurafa, Amro

24 October 2023

nergy prices in Europe have been soaring, and policymakers are trying to find solutions to immediately contain the energy prices for end-consumers and to enhance the market design in the longer term. This paper discusses some of the current events that are facing the power sector in ...

Discussion paper

4

Creating Demand for Low-Carbon Hydrogen for Industry Decarbonization: Lessons from the Electricity Sector

Hasan, Shahid

24 October 2023

ny policymakers now see the use of low-carbon hydrogen as a strong contender in terms of how to achieve climate neutrality goals. Currently, hydrogen is used in refinery processing, ammonia production, or methanol production as feedstock, where no other alternatives exist...₂ emissions.

Discussion paper

3

Interfuel Substitution in the Industrial Sector in Saudi Arabia

Javid, Muhammad

23 October 2023

he Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has taken many decisive steps toward a more sustainable future, in line with its Vision 2030, including the use of c...₂emissions target. A ridge regression method is used to estimate the parameters of the translog production function for the period 1990–2020.

Discussion paper

5

Modeling the Determinants of Electric Vehicle Adoption: A Saudi Perspective

Maria Kamargianni

Dimitris Pappelis

Alyamani, Ryan

23 October 2023

his study aims to contribute to the literature by shedding light on consumers’ acceptance of electric vehicles (EVs) in Riyadh and their potential response to adoption incentives. A stated preference experiment (SPE) was developed and then incorporated into an online stated preferenc...

Discussion paper

4

The Role of Petrochemical Sector Exports in the Diversification of the Saudi Economy: A Scenario Analysis of Foreign and Domestic Price Shocks

Heyran Aliyeva

Javid, Muhammad

Hasanov, Fakhri

22 October 2023

, the estimated export equations were integrated into a general equilibrium model, called the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) Global Energy Macroeconometric Model (KGEMM), and a scenario analysis was conducted for the diversification implicati...until 2035.

Discussion paper

3

Household Expenditure Survey, Housing and Energy Costs in Saudi Arabia

Rothfield, Jeremy

Sergeeva, Zlata

22 October 2023

The Household Income and Expenditure Survey for Saudi Arabia was conducted by statistical agency GASTAT in 1999, 2007, 2013 and 2018. In this economic commentary, we discuss some of the key findings and developments over the period under consideration. We devote particular attention ...

Commentary

3

Employment Potential of Renewable Energy in Saudi Arabia: A Value Chain Analysis

Mulligan, Cian

22 October 2023

This paper looks at the employment possibilities across the value chain of solar PV and onshore wind and, applying the unique characteristics of the Saudi labor force, investigates where localization mandates should target in order to optimize the benefits to the Saudi econom...  

Discussion paper

4

Smart Cities from an Indian Perspective: Evolving Ambitions

Bhatt, Yagyavalk

Roychoudhury, Jitendra

15 October 2023

Indian urban infrastructure is in the middle of a massive build-up. For several decades, Indian cities were caught between the demands of an exploding population and the need to provide infrastructure in terms of health, education, transport, and services to...   Read Book Chapter 

Book/book chapter

4

Closing the Investment Gap to Achieve Paris Agreement Goals

Belaïd, Fateh

Luomi, Mari

Alswaina, Fahad A.

Hejazi, Mohamad

Soummane, Salaheddine

Yılmaz, Fatih

09 October 2023

his study aims to assess the alignment of global sustainable financial flows with transition investment priorities. First, we identify investment gaps based on the difference between the required annual investment to meet global net-zero emissions (NZE) targets and current investmen... 

Discussion paper

4

The Economic and Energy Transformation in Saudi Arabia: Exploring the Role of Strategic Investments

Almozaini, Majed

03 October 2023

This Instant Insight reviews Saudi Arabia’s capital expenditure (central government capital expenditure + public investment fund [PIF] expenditure), which is a key component of its fiscal policy. Capital expenditure stimulates the primary goal of economic diversification, a structura...

Instant Insight

4

India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor: Bridging Economic and Digital Aspirations

Bhatt, Yagyavalk

Roychoudhury, Jitendra

02 October 2023

The announcement of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) during the 2023 Group of 20 (G20) Summit in New Delhi marks a significant development for the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) initiative. The PGII formation was announced in 2022 du... 

Instant Insight

5

Modeling and forecasting industrial electricity demand for Saudi Arabia: Uncovering regional characteristics

Javid, Muhammad

Darandary, Abdulelah

Alyamani, Ryan

Mikayilov, Jeyhun

Hasanov, Fakhri

01 October 2023

KAPSARC journal article

3

Commercial Electricity Demand Modeling: Do Regional Differences Matter for Saudi Arabia?

Darandary, Abdulelah

Mikayilov, Jeyhun

26 September 2023

KAPSARC journal article

4

Modeling of the Interconnected Middle East and North Africa Electricity System: Including Uncertainties to Better Inform Policymakers

Marie Petitet

Felder, Frank

Hasan, Shahid

Elshurafa, Amro

26 September 2023

The modeling of power systems can bring about insightful quantitative results to inform policymakers. This commentary reviews the literature on modeling the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region’s electricity interconnections and trade in the context of expanding variable and in...

Commentary

3

As both regulated and VCMs take off in Saudi Arabia and across the GCC region, KAPSARC is seeking to help inform and support their robust development in two ways. The first is to keep track of the rapidly evolving global market landscape. Questions here relate to both how governance...

Workshop brief

4

World Oil and Critical Mineral Study: A Global VAR Analysis

Hatipoglu, Emre

Considine, Jennifer

Aldayel, Abdullah

Galkin, Philipp

26 September 2023

ritical minerals (CMs), such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth metals, are essential for the development of clean energy technologies across the whole value chain of wind and solar power, electricity networks, and electric vehicles (EVs). Demand for these minerals is expecte...

Methodology paper

5

Global Crude Oil Refinery Models: Parametric and Nonparametric Methods

Umeozor, Evar

26 September 2023

Crude oil refineries produce finished petroleum products through a series of processing steps known as refinery unit operations. The varieties and capacities of process units, along with their operational characteristics, differentiate one refinery from another. Over the years, the...

Methodology paper

5

Reconsidering Inventories: An International Strategy for Strategic Storage Assets

Al Suwailem, Majed A.

Considine, Jennifer

Aldayel, Abdullah

Galkin, Philipp

26 September 2023

he purpose of this report is to recommend an interconnected regional and international strategy to share the burden of developing and maintaining commercial and strategic storage infrastructure for Saudi crude oil and products through an alliance with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GC...

Discussion paper

3

Renewable Energy and Job Creation: An Automation Risk Assessment

Mulligan, Cian

20 September 2023

The necessity of a green transition from traditional energy sources to renewable alternatives has brought with it optimism regarding the employment benefits of this change. Announcements of major renewable energy projects include forecasts of thousands of associated direct, indirect ...

Commentary

4

emission standards, zero-tailpipe-emission vehicle mandates, and tailpipe criteria pollutant emission regulations. Historically, transportation technology and policy have been evaluated based on exhaust emissions; however, ignoring those emissions generated during fuel and vehicle p...

Workshop brief

4

The Surge in Riyadh’s Population: Electricity Demand Implications

Alyamani, Ryan

Mikayilov, Jeyhun

20 September 2023

The city of Riyadh, the capital and most populous city of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is undergoing a makeover to become a global metropolis. Saudi Vision 2030 announced a wide range of projects in the city, placing it on an accelerated sustainable development path toward becoming a...

Commentary

2

How Have Electricity Tariffs Evolved in Saudi Arabia Over the Last Half Century (1974 – 2023)?

Mikayilov, Jeyhun

18 September 2023

Gathering information nested in different sources and across years for all electricity consumer types and covering the most extended period, this Data Insight is a first and unique source for modelers and policymakers.

Data Insight

5

A Decomposition Approach to Energy Policy Analysis

Matar, Walid

18 September 2023

Index decomposition analysis (IDA) has been used to study energy use movements since the 1980s. Methods at that time consisted primarily of multiplying factors that ultimately yielded the aggregate quantity, such as energy use. IDA is a straightforward way for researchers to examine ...

Commentary

4

India’s Decarbonization Strategy for its Electricity Sector: Balancing Renewables and Coal

Bhatt, Yagyavalk

18 September 2023

On November 1, 2021, at the 26th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP 26), Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi made an ambitious pledge, announcing India’s commitment to reaching net-zero emissions by 2070. Furthermore, during the speech, Prime Minister Modi went on to anno...

Commentary

6

The Implementation of the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation and Its Challenges for Aviation

Alwosheel, Abdulrahman

Felipe Guzman, Andres

14 September 2023

The aviation sector is a fast-growing industry that contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. To address this issue, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) set aspirational emissions goals and introduced the Carbon Offsetting and Reductio...

Commentary

3

Expert Survey Assessment of Emerging Maritime Decarbonization Challenges and Priorities

Anwar, Ahm Mehbub

Dua, Rubal

14 September 2023

The decarbonization of the maritime sector has emerged as a global concern due to the shipping sector’s 3% contribution to world’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Notably, the latest developments involving the adoption of more ambitious GHG reduction targets by the Internationa...

Report

3

Macroeconomic, Energy and Emission Effects of Solar PV Deployment at Utility and Distributed Scales in Saudi Arabia

Hunt, Lester C.

Hasanov, Fakhri

Elshurafa, Amro

14 September 2023

This study assesses the macroeconomic, energy and emissions impacts of solar photovoltaic (PV) deployment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the period 2021–2030. This is accomplished by linking an energy and environmental sector augmented macroeconometric model with a power model a...

Discussion paper

0

Methane Emissions Baseline Forecasts for Saudi Arabia Using the Structural Time Series Model and Autometrics

Hunt, Lester C.

Mikayilov, Jeyhun

Gasim, Anwar

14 September 2023

Reducing methane (CH4) emissions is key to near-term efforts to limit global warming. CH4 is the second most abundant anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) in the atmosphere after carbon dioxide (CO2). The production, transport, and consumption of fossil fuels, in addition to was...