Electricity Sector Transitions Distribution Hosting Capacity Tool Khalid Alhadhrami This study presents the methodology for the KAPSARC Distribution Hosting Capacity Tool (KDHCT). This tool can support the future of renewable energy in Saudi Arabia. The use of distributed energy resources (DERs), such as solar panels, energy storage and electric… Khalid Alhadhrami
Electricity Sector Transitions How Firm Capacity and Forced Outage Rate Assumptions of Renewables Impact Capacity Expansion Model Results Amro Elshurafa, Marie Petitet, Frank Felder The undergoing energy transition relies heavily on the deployment of renewables such as solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind power for the generation of electricity. These variable and intermittent resources would modify power systems’ reliability compared to the situation where electricity… Elshurafa, Amro Marie Petitet Felder, Frank
Electricity Sector Transitions Innovation by Gulf Cooperation Council Electricity Startups: A Global Comparison Rolando Fuentes, Frank Felder The electric power sector is the cornerstone for achieving the energy transition goals of economic progress, energy security and environmental improvements. Substantial and timely innovations are necessary to accomplish these goals. In this commentary, we investigate innovations in the electric… Fuentes, Rolando Felder, Frank
Electricity Sector Transitions Lessons From the European Electricity Crisis Frank Felder, Marie Petitet On January 23, 2023, the European Commission initiated a public consultation to reform the European Union’s electricity market (European Commission 2023) on the heels of extremely high wholesale electricity prices in Europe in the last months and days of 2022.… Felder, Frank Marie Petitet
Electricity Sector Transitions Cost, Footprint, and Reliability Implications of Deploying Hydrogen in Off-grid Electric Vehicle Charging Stations: A GIS-assisted Study for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Amro Elshurafa, Abdelrahman Muhsen, Frank Felder We quantify the cost, footprint and reliability implications of using hydrogen in off-grid electric vehicle charging stations (CS) using an optimization model coupled with a geographical information system (GIS) analysis for the city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We also account… Elshurafa, Amro Muhsen, Abdelrahman Felder, Frank
Electricity Sector Transitions The Crisis in Electricity Prices in Europe: Context and Key Insights Ahmed Al-Balawi, Fateh Belaïd The cost of electric power in Europe is soaring. After a steady rise in 2021, prices spiked in the first half of 2022 following the post-COVID-19 economic recovery. Day-ahead wholesale electricity prices increased more than threefold on average in 2021… Ahmed Al-Balawi Belaïd, Fateh
Electricity Sector Transitions Status of Global Concentrated Solar Power Installations Ahmed Al-Balawi Concentrated solar power (CSP) is a type of renewable energy that uses mirrors to concentrate solar irradiation onto a receiver and convert it into heat. The heat can then be used directly or indirectly for thermal or electrical applications. CSP… Ahmed Al-Balawi
Electricity Sector Transitions Insights from India’s Journey to Over 100 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy Shahid Hasan, Yagyavalk Bhatt This commentary analyzes the key industry developments, policy and regulatory features, prevailing circumstances and challenges related to renewable energy (RE) in India. It also highlights learnings for other countries. As electricity is a concurrent subject as per the Indian Constitution,… Hasan, Shahid Bhatt, Yagyavalk
Electricity Sector Transitions Reliability Implications of Unexpected Tripping of Inverter-Based Resources Ahmed Al-Balawi, Khalid Alhadhrami A recent KAPSARC Instant Insight examined the reliability crisis in electric power grids, and proposed policy measures that can mitigate these risks (Felder 2022). The specific causes for these severe outages and blackouts differ, but the causes of greatest concern… Ahmed Al-Balawi Khalid Alhadhrami
Electricity Sector Transitions Trends in Global Solar PV Installation in 2021 Amro Elshurafa In 2021, global solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity increased by a record 175 gigawatts (GW). This brought the total global cumulative installed PV capacity to around 942 GW at the end of 2021. Elshurafa, Amro
Electricity Sector Transitions Cost, Emission, and Macroeconomic Implications of Diesel Displacement in the Saudi Agricultural Sector: Options and Policy Insights Amro Elshurafa, Hatem Al Atawi, Fakhri Hasanov, Frank Felder The Saudi agricultural sector relies on diesel for irrigation, which is provided to farmers at a much lower price than the average global price, implying significant opportunity costs. With the aid of soft-coupled power and macro-econometric models, we assess the… Elshurafa, Amro Al Atawi, Hatem Hasanov, Fakhri Felder, Frank
Electricity Sector Transitions Keeping the Nuclear Energy Option Open Noura Mansouri, Robert J. Budnitz, H-Holger Rogner, Charles McCombie, Robert N. Schock, Adnan Shihab-Eldin Nuclear energy is already playing a crucial role in reducing emissions from electricity generation. However, if this role is not expanded, achieving the international goal of avoiding unacceptable global climate change will be extremely difficult. The evidence presented in this… Mansouri, Noura Robert J. Budnitz H-Holger Rogner Charles McCombie Robert N. Schock Adnan Shihab-Eldin
Electricity Sector Transitions One Year After the Texas Blackout: Lessons for Reliable and Resilient Power Systems Marie Petitet, Frank Felder, Khalid Alhadhrami In February 2021, Texas experienced an extreme cold snap causing a dramatic electricity blackout that left millions of households without electricity, resulting in over 200 fatalities and economic damages of approximately $100 billion. The Texas blackout has been used to… Marie Petitet Felder, Frank Khalid Alhadhrami
Electricity Sector Transitions Investing in Net-Zero Emission Ambitions: Global ESG Frameworks and CCUS Projects Fatih Yılmaz, Adam Sieminski Achieving global net zero emission (NZE) goals necessitates trillions of US$ of annual investment in various mitigation technologies. While a significant portion of this investment is expected to take place in mainstream mitigation technologies (e.g., renewable energy), low carbon technologies… Yılmaz, Fatih Adam Sieminski
Electricity Sector Transitions Policy Responses to the Reliability Crisis in the Power Grid Frank Felder From China, Europe, Central Asia, India and to the United States, there is a reliability crisis in electric power grids. Why are power grids so brittle and what should policymakers do? Felder, Frank
Electricity Sector Transitions The Implications for the Power Sector from Innovation by Startup Companies Rolando Fuentes, Dongmei Chen We compiled a multi-regional database of 320 startups from 36 countries whose focus is on new technologies in the electricity sector. To reach this number, we performed internet searches with neutral key words such as ‘startups,’ ‘electricity,’ ‘innovation,’ and avoided… Fuentes, Rolando Chen, Dongmei
Electricity Sector Transitions Understanding the Dynamics of Renewable Energy Transition: Country Performance and Potential Fatih Yılmaz Renewable energy (RE) is a vital stream of the global energy transition toward sustainable alternatives. Various mitigation strategies, such as enhancing energy efficiency, utilizing fuel switching, deploying nuclear power and adopting carbon capture, have been developed. Of these, RE has… Yılmaz, Fatih
Electricity Sector Transitions Understanding the Dynamics of the Renewable Energy Transition: The Determinants and Future Projections Under Different Scenarios Fatih Yılmaz The global energy system’s current structure has severe environmental consequences that necessitate an urgent transformation toward more sustainable alternatives. Besides many available mitigation actions, such as enhancing energy efficiency, deploying nuclear energy, switching fuels and adopting carbon capture technologies, renewable… Yılmaz, Fatih
Electricity Sector Transitions Cross-seasonal Fuel Savings from Load Shifting in the Saudi Industrial Sector Salaheddine Soummane, Amro Elshurafa, Hatem Al Atawi, Frank Felder Load shifting, that is, moving demand from peak to off-peak hours, is an important type of demand response. It can reduce the overall operating costs of a power system and improve the reliability of the power grid. This study estimates… Soummane, Salaheddine Elshurafa, Amro Al Atawi, Hatem Felder, Frank
Electricity Sector Transitions Achieving Renewable Energy Targets Without Compromising the Power Sector’s Reliability Amro Elshurafa, Frank Felder, Nezar Alhaidari Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy has set ambitious renewable energy goals. Although the Kingdom’s current energy mix is dominated by conventional energy (>95%), it aims to draw 50% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030. Currently, the Kingdom enjoys… Elshurafa, Amro Felder, Frank Nezar Alhaidari