This commentary discusses a crucial topic that has emerged in the policy and economic literature in recent years: the potential role of energy efficiency in the current energy transition. It provides a straightforward analysis of the prominent role that residential energy efficiency may play in shaping the energy transition and the pathway to sustainability. The primary focus is the energy efficiency initiatives in Saudi Arabia, as an example of a country that is very concerned by the transformation of the energy landscape.

Principal Fellow- Climate and Sustainability
Fateh was a full professor of economics at Lille Catholic University and director of the Smart & Sustainable Cities research…
Fateh was a full professor of economics at Lille Catholic University and director of the Smart & Sustainable Cities research unit. Fateh has also held various positions at the French Scientific and Technical Center for Building and led multiple collaborative projects for the French Ministry of Ecological Transition and the European Commission. He is an energy and environmental economist drawing from the fields of applied microeconomics, energy modeling, and econometrics. He has published widely on household energy consumption, energy-saving behaviors, individual preference and investment in energy efficiency, energy poverty, renewables, and energy policy. He received a habilitation for supervising doctoral research from Orléans University, a Ph.D. in Economics, an M.S. in Applied Economics & Decision Theory from Littoral University, and an engineering degree in statistics. His work has been published in journals including Ecological Economics, The Energy Journal, Energy Economics, Economic Surveys, Energy Policy, and Environmental Management
Expertise
- Energy and Environmental Economics; Energy Efficiency; Energy Demand; Fuel Poverty; Energy Policy; Energy Saving Behaviors; Applied Econometrics; Smart and Sustainable Cities.
Publications See all Fateh Belaïd’s publications

Progress and Gaps in the Adoption of Clean Cooking Fuels in Africa – Policy Options for Ghana and Kenya
This commentary discusses a crucial topic that has emerged in the policy and economic literature…
13th March 2025
Designing Long-lasting Inventions for Residential Energy Efficiency
This commentary discusses a crucial topic that has emerged in the policy and economic literature…
4th February 2025