Publications

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

Analysing the Role of Energy in Economic Growth and Convergence: A Cross-country Study from 1980–2019

Taylor & Francis

Nader AlKathiri, Abdulelah Darandary

Breaking Down Gasoline and Diesel Prices: The Role of Taxes, Oil, and Other Components

Julio Arboleda, Zlata Sergeeva

There is a common belief that fluctuations in gasoline and diesel retail prices are primarily driven by changes in oil prices (Bumpass, Ginn, and Tuttle 2015). While this is partly true, the fact is that gasoline and diesel prices are…

Arboleda, Julio

Sergeeva, Zlata

Assessing ESG Impact in the Oil and Gas Industry: A Multi-Criteria Approach

Claudia Belahmidi

The paper titled “Assessing ESG Impact in the Oil & Gas Industry: A Multi-Criteria Approach” discusses the critical role of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles in the oil and gas sector, highlighting both challenges and opportunities. The document emphasizes…

Belahmidi, Claudia

Net-Zero Transition and Employment in Saudi Arabia’s Energy Sector

Olivier Durand-Lasserve

The challenge: nationalizing the labour force in a transforming energy sector Saudi Arabia has engaged in a deep transformation of its hydrocarbon-based domestic energy system. The shift is in line with the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution commitment to reduce emissions…

Durand-Lasserve, Olivier

Saudi Arabia’s National Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventories: Overview, Progress, and Outlook

Hind Aldhuwaihi, Anwar Gasim

This paper summarizes Saudi Arabia’s history with national greenhouse gas emission reporting, giving an overview and discussing the trends in emissions.

Aldhuwaihi, Hind

Gasim, Anwar

Assessing CO2 Emissions from Commercial Aviation in Saudi Arabia: A Methodological Approach

Andres Felipe Guzman, Edgar Jimenez Perez

Aviation is projected to grow in the coming decades, leading to increased fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, despite advancements in efficiency. As other sectors decarbonize, aviation’s impact on climate change may become more significant. Assessing aircraft performance, which involves…

Felipe Guzman, Andres

Edgar Jimenez Perez

Alternative Fuels and Processes for Saudi Construction Materials Companies

Walid Matar, Sid Ahmed Hamdani, Faris Aljamed

Producing construction materials requires a great amount of energy, and in Saudi Arabia, this production currently entails the use of substantial amounts of liquid fuels. Liquid fuels are mostly sold at below-market prices domestically, and thus result in large opportunity…

Matar, Walid

Hamdani, Sid Ahmed

Aljamed, Faris