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

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

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

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…

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

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

The Potential Role of Truck-Hailing and Operational Efficiency Improvement in Decarbonizing China’s Medium- and Heavy-Duty Road Freight Transport

Xun Xu, Shiqi Ou, Tianduo Peng, Zhenhong Lin, Xunmin Ou, Zhandong Xu, Mi Gan, Dandan Li, Xiaobo Liu

Truck-hailing is a relatively new Uber-like business model that connects road freight carriers with shippers via mobile apps. First appeared around 2013, it has achieved fast market uptake in China, involving almost 8 million commercial trucks annually by the end…

Xu, Xun

Shiqi Ou

Tianduo Peng

Zhenhong Lin

Xunmin Ou

Zhandong Xu

Mi Gan

Dandan Li

Xiaobo Liu

Why Might Some Chinese Battery Electric Vehicle Owners Choose Not to Repurchase Another?

Eui-Jin Kim, Rubal Dua, Prateek Bansal

Repurchasing battery electric vehicles (BEVs) is critical to achieving BEV sales targets and decarbonizing China’s transport sector. This study investigates why current BEV owners in China might not repurchase a BEV and who they are. We conducted a stated preference…

Eui-Jin Kim

Dua, Rubal

Bansal, Prateek

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

Andres Felipe Guzman, Juan Nicolas Gonzalez

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 methodology consists of three steps: (1) defining…

Felipe Guzman, Andres

Gonzalez, Juan Nicolas

A Maritime Sector in Transition – The Role of Saudi Arabia

Nora Nezamuddin, Shahid Hasan, Rolando Fuentes, Michael Samsu Koroma

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. This significant increase emphasizes the pressing need for decarbonization to mitigate environmental risks.

Nezamuddin, Nora

Hasan, Shahid

Fuentes, Rolando

Koroma, Michael Samsu

Decarbonizing Land-Based Passenger Transport in Saudi Arabia

Yagyavalk Bhatt, Puneet Kamboj, Anvita Arora, Mohamad Hejazi

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 the long-term impacts of…

Bhatt, Yagyavalk

Puneet Kamboj

Arora, Anvita

Hejazi, Mohamad

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

Anvita Arora, Fateh Belaïd

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 policies for building resiliency in…

Arora, Anvita

Belaïd, Fateh

The Race to Decarbonize Long-Haul Transport and the Lessons Learned for KSA

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…

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

Lama Yaseen, Nourah Al Hosain, Ibrahem Shatnawi, Abdelrahman Muhsen

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…

Yaseen, Lama

Al Hosain, Nourah

Shatnawi, Ibrahem

Muhsen, Abdelrahman

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

Ahm Mehbub Anwar, Nourah Al Hosain, Yagyavalk Bhatt

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…

Anwar, Ahm Mehbub

Al Hosain, Nourah

Bhatt, Yagyavalk

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

Abdulrahman Alwosheel, Michael Samsu Koroma

Analyzing the environmental performance of alternative vehicle technologies in the current energy landscape of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is very important given their expected role in future transportation systems. This study presents a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA)…

Alwosheel, Abdulrahman

Koroma, Michael Samsu

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

Nora Nezamuddin, Rolando Fuentes, Michael Samsu Koroma, Shahid Hasan

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, there…

Nezamuddin, Nora

Fuentes, Rolando

Koroma, Michael Samsu

Hasan, Shahid

Life Cycle Assessment of Road Freight Decarbonization in Saudi Arabia

Michael Samsu Koroma, Xun Xu, Abdulrahman Alwosheel

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 addresses…

Koroma, Michael Samsu

Xu, Xun

Alwosheel, Abdulrahman

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

Ahm Mehbub Anwar, Rubal Dua, Abdulrahman Alwosheel

International shipping contributes approximately 3% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) 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…

Anwar, Ahm Mehbub

Dua, Rubal

Alwosheel, Abdulrahman

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

Andres Felipe Guzman, Freddy Segundo Navarro Pineda

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…

Felipe Guzman, Andres

Freddy Segundo Navarro Pineda