Publications

Toward Autonomous and Connected Autonomous Vehicle (AV-CAV) Deployment in Saudi Arabia: A Readiness Assessment Based on Expert Feedback

Ibrahem Shatnawi, Juan Nicolas Gonzalez, Neda Masoud

The deployment of autonomous vehicles (AVs) and connected autonomous vehicles (CAVs) presents significant opportunities to transform urban mobility, reduce emissions, and enhance transportation efficiency. This study evaluates the readiness of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) for AV-CAV adoption across…

Shatnawi, Ibrahem

Gonzalez, Juan Nicolas

Neda Masoud

Advancing Plastic Waste Recycling in the GCC: Policies, Technologies, and Economic Opportunities

Julio Arboleda, Rami Shabaneh, Noora Mukhtar, Dr.Sana Ben Kebaier

This report aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of plastic waste disposal, recycling rates and the recycling infrastructure gaps in the GCC countries, along with encouraging policies to capture the untapped potential of the recycling sector, and transition from current…

Arboleda, Julio

Shabaneh, Rami

Noora Mukhtar

Dr.Sana Ben Kebaier

Evaluating Hypothetical Carbon Pricing for Saudi Arabia Using a Macroeconometric Modeling Framework

Science Direct

Fakhri Hasanov, Heyran Aliyeva, Majed Almozaini, Carlo Andrea Bollino

Emerging Policy and Economics Research Priorities for Enabling Low-Carbon Trucking

Rubal Dua, Saif Almutairi

Trucking plays a crucial role in sustaining economic activity worldwide, yet its current path of carbon emissions is out of sync with the net-zero goals set by governments globally. As a result, identifying key energy economic and policy research priorities…

Dua, Rubal

Almutairi, Saif

Limiting Carbon Dioxide Removal Could Exacerbate Global Economic Inequality

Raphael Apeaninga, Puneet Kamboj, Mohamad Hejazi

The Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius (°C), and ideally 1.5°C, above pre-industrial levels, places significant emphasis on carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies. However, the global landscape for CDR deployment remains uneven, with…

Apeaninga, Raphael

Puneet Kamboj

Hejazi, Mohamad

The Fast Uberization Trend in China’s Road Freight Transport Sector

Xun Xu

Road freight transport is a leading oil consumer and one of the most hard-to-abate sectors (IEA 2017; McKinnon 2018). In most developing countries, the sector is characterized by excessive market fragmentation, where the majority of the market supply is from…

Xu, Xun

Ground-Source Air Conditioning: A Potential Solution for Saudi Arabia’s Building Sector

Mohammad Aldubyan, Majed A. Al Suwailem

Energy consumption for cooling in Saudi Arabia is notably high due to the country’s extreme climatic conditions, with air conditioning accounting for a significant portion of electricity demand. Addressing this challenge requires innovative solutions that align with Saudi Arabia’s Vision…

Aldubyan, Mohammad

Al Suwailem, Majed A.

The Rapid Expansion of Battery Energy Storage: Why the Saudi Market Is Booming

Ahmed Al-Balawi, Muhammad Adnan Hayat

Saudi Arabia has embraced utility-scale battery storage to the extent that it now ranks third globally in announced battery storage energy project capacities at 22 gigawatt-hours (GWh), behind only China and the United States (U.S.), and it aims to achieve…

Ahmed Al-Balawi

Adnan Hayat, Muhammad

Does integrating oil refining with petrochemicals provide long-term benefits for Saudi Arabia?

Walid Matar

To integrate or not to integrate petrochemicals – that is the question posed by this paper for Saudi Arabian oil refineries. The viability of combining domestic oil refining and petrochemical activities is investigated using an energy system model for Saudi…

Matar, Walid

Decarbonizing Saudi Arabia energy and industrial sectors: Assessment of carbon capture cost

Science Direct

The global drive for net-zero emissions has highlighted carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) as a critical tool to reduce CO2 emissions from energy and industrial sectors. Achieving climate goals necessitates a comprehensive understanding of regional CO2 emission profiles and…

Naser Odeh

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

For an oil-exporting economy, valuing oil-related cash flows from a public perspective requires using a discount rate equal to the risk-free public rate plus a risk premium. Economic dependence on oil affects the public discount rate for oil-related cash flows…

Fatih Karanfil, Axel Pierru

Decarbonizing Road Freight Transportation in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia needs to decarbonize road freight transportation to fulfill its emission reduction commitments. In this study, we utilize the GCAM-KSA modeling framework to explore potential mitigation pathways for the Kingdom’s road freight sector. We evaluate the emission implications of…

Opportunities From Saudi Mineral Resources – A Domestic Supply Perspective

Ahmed Al-Balawi, Jitendra Roychoudhury, Yagyavalk Bhatt, Dongmei Chen, Caitlin McKennie, Ian Lange

Saudi Arabia’s mineral sector, long recognized as the third pillar of its economy alongside oil and petrochemicals, is becoming increasingly vital due to the global demand for minerals essential for the clean energy transition. Understanding the domestic and international implications…

Ahmed Al-Balawi

Roychoudhury, Jitendra

Bhatt, Yagyavalk

Chen, Dongmei

Caitlin McKennie

Ian Lange

Navigating Global Sustainability Reporting and Taxonomies: Insights for Saudi Arabia

Claudia Belahmidi, Fatih Yılmaz, Faisal Yousef, Norah Alorainy

The paper explores the evolution of ESG reporting frameworks and taxonomies, focusing on their implications for Saudi Arabia. It discusses the challenges posed by global ESG practices, such as mandatory Scope 3 emissions reporting, materiality standards, and carbon management technologies.…

Belahmidi, Claudia

Yılmaz, Fatih

Faisal Yousef

Norah Alorainy

Energy Stewardship in a Transitioning World: Extending the Hydrocarbon Value Chain into Lithium Extraction in Saudi Arabia

Majed A. Al Suwailem, Osamah Al-Momen, Ahmed Al-Balawi

Energy security has long been central to the strategic and policy frameworks of governments worldwide, owing to the indispensable role of stable and sufficient energy supplies in underpinning economic growth, social welfare, and political stability. Historically, the pursuit of energy…

Al Suwailem, Majed A.

Osamah Al-Momen

Ahmed Al-Balawi

Progress and Gaps in the Adoption of Clean Cooking Fuels in Africa – Policy Options for Ghana and Kenya

Fateh Belaïd, Mohamad Hejazi

Access to clean cooking fuels is vital for public health, environmental sustainability, and socio-economic development in sub-Saharan Africa. This study examines the key barriers to adopting clean cooking fuels in Ghana and Kenya, asking. Despite progress in urban areas toward…

Belaïd, Fateh

Hejazi, Mohamad

Exploring Contractual Arrangements for Electricity Trading in the Middle East

Marie Petitet, Moamar Sayed Mouchaweh, Sandrine Wachon

The Gulf region is undergoing an energy transition, and the electricity sector is crucial to its success. Since 2001, the region’s interconnections have allowed electricity trade among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Its continued interconnection expansion within the GCC…

Marie Petitet

Moamar Sayed Mouchaweh

Wachon, Sandrine

Carbon Markets and Saudi Arabia: A Review of Options and Analysis of Carbon Crediting Potential

Paul Zakkour, Anwar Gasim, Mari Luomi

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been taking steps towards carbon market development to stimulate domestic and international climate action. In 2022, the government announced a domestic greenhouse gas (GHG) crediting mechanism – the Greenhouse Gas Crediting and Offsetting Mechanism…

Zakkour, Paul

Gasim, Anwar

Luomi, Mari

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

Science Direct

Hossa Almutairi, Axel Pierru, James L. Smith

The Transportation, Housing, and Energy Implications of New Murabba Analysis and Forecast Using a Spatial Economic Time Series Simulation Model

Abdelrahman Muhsen, John Abraham, Geraldine Fuenmayor, J.D. Paul McMillan, J. Douglas Hunt

New Murrabba is a proposed megaproject involving residential, office, and retail development in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This project would encapsulate a portion of the expected rapid growth in the city into a unique and visionary development.

Muhsen, Abdelrahman

John Abraham

Geraldine Fuenmayor

J.D. Paul McMillan

J. Douglas Hunt