Lopez-Ruiz, Hector G.

  • Primary Program -
  • Research Interests -

Biography

Hector is a former research fellow at KAPSARC. He is a transport economist with 12 years of experience in five countries and is fluent in four languages. The focus of his work is on transport economic modeling, offering science-based solutions to aid policy making. He is experienced in building long-term sustainable transport policy scenarios and carrying out model-based policy analysis. During his career, he has modeled mobility for freight, vehicles, and analyzed policy-based carbon tax effects. He has worked for the French Energy Management Agency (ADEME); the French National Research Centre (CNRS-LAET); the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (ECCET-JRC) and the European Institute for Energy Research (KIT & EDF).

 

Publications

See all Hector G.’s publications
  • Discussion papers
  • Methodology paper
  • KAPSARC journal article
  • External journal articles
Designing Transport Policy for Sustainable Freight Movement in Saudi Arabia

Designing Transport Policy for Sustainable Freight Movement in Saudi Arabia

Logistics and infrastructure policy will play key roles in Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification and reform efforts. This study provides a quantitative assessment of specific measures related to freight transport, taking into consideration the heterogeneity of urban, regional and inter-regional localities in Saudi Arabia. This paper, mirroring the global approach developed by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, analyzes the potential impact of logistics policy. It sheds light on how transport regulations can help rationalize fuel consumption and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants in the Kingdom.  

27th April 2020
Assessing Residential Solar Rooftop Potential in Saudi Arabia Using Nighttime Satellite Images: A Study for the City of Riyadh

Assessing Residential Solar Rooftop Potential in Saudi Arabia Using Nighttime Satellite Images: A Study for the City of Riyadh

Saudi Arabia is developing utility-scale solar power projects as a first step toward diversifying its electricity generation mix, currently based almost entirely on crude oil, refined oil products and natural gas. The Saudi National Renewable Energy Program aims to substantially increase the share of renewable energy in the Kingdom’s power mix, targeting 3.45 gigawatts (GW) of installed renewable energy generation capacity by 2020 and 9.5 GW by 2023. 

20th April 2020
Estimating Saudi Arabia’s Regional GDP Using Satellite Nighttime Light Images

Estimating Saudi Arabia’s Regional GDP Using Satellite Nighttime Light Images

The increasing availability of data from technologies such as mobile phones, satellites and connected devices means that there are many new possible sources of economic data. This study analyzes the potential use of nighttime light images from satellites to provide a regional distribution of Saudi Arabia’s gross domestic product (GDP).

23rd December 2019
Estimating Freight Transport Activity Using Nighttime Lights Satellite Data in China, India and Saudi Arabia

Estimating Freight Transport Activity Using Nighttime Lights Satellite Data in China, India and Saudi Arabia

This paper focuses on the methodology for estimating total freight transport activity (FTA) for three countries  — China, India and Saudi Arabia  — with the objective of building on current state-of-the-art transportation modeling in three key areas: Studying the relationship between nighttime lights (NTL) and FTA allows for an estimation of full transportation datasets for countries where only a few observation points exist or where data is unavailable. Establishing the foundation for future work on how to use this approach in transport flow estimation (origin-destination matrices). Determining whether this approach can be used globally, given the coverage of the satellite data used. The paper uses the KAPSARC Transport Analysis Framework (KTAF), which estimates transport activity from freely available global data sources, satellite images and NTL. It is a tool for estimating freight transport activity that can be used in models to measure the impact of an accelerated transport policy planning approach. The methodology offers a solution to inadequate data access and allows for scenario building in policy planning for transportation. This approach allows for quick estimation of the effects of policy measures and economic changes on transportation activities at a global level. The paper also includes a detailed guide on how to replicate the methodology used in this analysis.

9th May 2019
Improving speed and frequency in the European rail system

Improving speed and frequency in the European rail system

Joint Research Centre, European Commission

2014
Potential impacts on accessibility and consumer surplus of improvements of the European railway system

Potential impacts on accessibility and consumer surplus of improvements of the European railway system

Transportation Research Procedia

2014
PREDIT 4/Groupe 06 Recherche: Enjeux spatiaux, économiques et politiques des scénarios de mobilité durable à l’horizon 2050

PREDIT 4/Groupe 06 Recherche: Enjeux spatiaux, économiques et politiques des scénarios de mobilité durable à l’horizon 2050

Ministere de l'Ecologie, Direction de la Recherche et des Affaires Scientifiques et Techniques

2013
Quantifying the effects of sustainable urban mobility plans

Quantifying the effects of sustainable urban mobility plans

Joint Research Centre, European Commission

2013
Macromotives and microbehaviors: Climate change constraints and passenger mobility scenarios for France

Macromotives and microbehaviors: Climate change constraints and passenger mobility scenarios for France

Transport Policy

2013
Is the concept of a green economy a useful way of framing policy discussions and policymaking to promote sustainable development?

Is the concept of a green economy a useful way of framing policy discussions and policymaking to promote sustainable development?

Natural Resources Forum

2011
La voie étroite du «facteur 4» dans le secteur des transports: quelles politiques publiques, pour quelles mobilités?

La voie étroite du «facteur 4» dans le secteur des transports: quelles politiques publiques, pour quelles mobilités?

Recherche Transports Sécurité

2011
Comment satisfaire les objectifs internationaux de la France en termes d’émissions de gaz à effet de serre et de pollution transfrontières?

Comment satisfaire les objectifs internationaux de la France en termes d’émissions de gaz à effet de serre et de pollution transfrontières?

Ministere de l'Ecologie, Direction de la Recherche et des Affaires Scientifiques et Techniques

2008

Stay informed

 I'm interested in

Select the updates you'd like to receive from us

About

A bit about you