As a response to recommendations from the “Energy open data ecosystem, policy scenario models & tools” workshop series organised by KAPSARC since 2018, IEF and KAPSARC have jointly examined KAPSARC data and modeling resources to improve energy balance compilation with Saudi Arabia as a case study. The project successfully identified key opportunities and challenges in improving existing energy balances compiled by reputable international organisations.

The most recent update with the complete 2019 figures and 2020 estimations consolidates nationally sanctioned data including figures from the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI) World Databases as well from on KAPSARC models. IEF and KAPSARC have further explored improvement opportunities to compile Energy Balances as well as to convert the outcome to other indicators such as CO2 emission inventory at the national level with Saudi Arabia as a model case.

The workshop will examine data inputs fed into the KSA energy balance, such as oil and gas demand in Saudi Arabia including transportation, power, as well as renewables. For transportation models, Saudi Arabia is expected to transform into a global logistics hub in the region linking trade across three continents: Asia, Europe, and Africa. To effectively achieve Vision 2030 goals, KAPSARC transport models can supply insights, policy choices and simulations: availability of granular transport data drives transport models to produce meaningful and timely results. On renewables and power, the Kingdom aspires to retire liquids from its power sector by 2030. In other words, the energy mix will comprise gas and renewables only. In this presentation, we assess the impact of this switch on gas offtake, carbon emissions, and generation cost. We will discuss best practices of data aggregation and renewables-related insights from IRENA.