Publications

Impacts of Global Climate Policies on Middle Eastern Oil Exporters: A Review of Economic Implications and Mitigation Strategies

Salaheddine Soummane, Aisha Al-Sarihi

Climate policies are tightening in an effort to curb carbon dioxide emissions. As a result, global oil demand may peak and gradually decline, causing oil prices to fall. A structural fall in oil prices may have serious implications for Middle…

Soummane, Salaheddine

Al-Sarihi, Aisha

Regional Fuel Consumption and Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Saudi Arabia: Impacts of Electricity Price Reforms

Abdulelah Darandary, Jeyhun Mikayilov, Salaheddine Soummane

Evaluating the potential outcomes of energy price reforms is essential for policymakers to assess their effectiveness. In 2016 and 2018, the Saudi government enacted two waves of energy price reforms to curb historically fast-growing electricity demand. We quantify the effects…

Darandary, Abdulelah

Mikayilov, Jeyhun

Soummane, Salaheddine

Fostering Net-Zero Transition Pathways: The Role of Clean Hydrogen

Salaheddine Soummane, Rami Shabaneh

In early 2022, 80 countries (including Saudi Arabia), representing around 74% of global greenhouse gas emissions, pledged to reach net-zero emissions (NZE) in the coming decades. Achieving these ambitious climate policy objectives requires shifting the energy mix toward existing and…

Soummane, Salaheddine

Shabaneh, Rami

The Current State and Future of Clean Hydrogen Projects Worldwide

Salaheddine Soummane

This data insight reviews clean hydrogen projects worldwide that are listed in the Hydrogen Projects Database of the International Energy Agency (IEA 2021), which covers hydrogen projects for “energy or climate change mitigation purposes” based on electrolysis, fossil fuels with…

Soummane, Salaheddine

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

Projecting Saudi Sectoral Electricity Demand in 2030 Using a Computable General Equilibrium Model

Salaheddine Soummane, Frédéric Ghersi

Projecting future demand for electricity is central to power sector planning, as these projections inform capacity investment requirements and related infrastructure expansions. Electricity is not currently economically storable in large volumes. Thus, the underlying drivers of electricity demand and potential…

Soummane, Salaheddine

Frédéric Ghersi

Assessing Effects of Renewable Deployment on Emissions in the Saudi Power Sector Until 2040 Using Integer Optimization

Science Direct

Amro Elshurafa, Hatem Al Atawi, Salaheddine Soummane, Frank Felder

If Renewable Energy is Getting Cheaper, Why Are Electricity Prices Increasing?

Salaheddine Soummane

In this commentary, we discuss the impact of renewable energy penetration on end-user electricity prices driven by the observed development in European countries since 2000. We conclude with a discussion on how Saudi Arabia is benefiting from its development of…

Soummane, Salaheddine

Assessing the Role of Renewables in Reducing Emissions in the Saudi Power Sector Using Mixed-Integer Optimization

Amro Elshurafa, Hatem Al Atawi, Salaheddine Soummane, Frank Felder

Renewable energy (RE) technologies are viewed as a critical means of reducing power sector-related emissions. Using mixed-integer optimization, we evaluate the extent to which renewable energy reduces carbon emissions in the Saudi power sector.

Elshurafa, Amro

Al Atawi, Hatem

Soummane, Salaheddine

Felder, Frank

Overview of Saudi Electricity Demand (1970–2018)

Salaheddine Soummane

Saudi Arabia’s demand for electricity is undergoing unprecedented changes. In recent years, the government has implemented several efficiency measures and pricing reforms to curb demand growth. These measures started delivering concrete results in 2016. After decades of rapid growth, the…

Soummane, Salaheddine

Saudi Electricity Demand Drops for the First Time on Record

Salaheddine Soummane

Since 1990, Saudi Arabia’s electricity consumption has risen rapidly and consistently, at an average rate of around 6% per year. This growth rate is considerably high when compared with the global average growth rate of 3% and 4.8% in developed…

Soummane, Salaheddine

Saudi Electricity Demand for 2018-2019 based on Saudi Electricity Company Data

Salaheddine Soummane

Saudi electricity demand grew by 5% per year between 2010 and 2018. The Saudi government implemented two energy price reforms, in 2016 and 2018, which included significant electricity tariff hikes. The government also implemented a range of efficiency measures to…

Soummane, Salaheddine

Impact of the COVID-19 Lockdown on Electricity Demand: Global Insights and Implications for Saudi Arabia

Salaheddine Soummane, Nawaz Peerbocus

The impact of curfews and lockdowns on total electricity demand as a result of the spread of COVID-19 depends on many factors. This insight provides a summary of the immediate demand impacts in selected regions around the world due to…

Soummane, Salaheddine

Peerbocus, Nawaz

The Integration of Climate Action into Economic Development and Stimulus Measures: Policy Options for the G20

T20

Although an increasing number of studies project large economic costs of climate inaction, G20 nations still account for 78% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and remain collectively not on track to meet their Paris Agreement commitments. Studies also show…

Aisha Al-Sarihi, Salaheddine Soummane, Helena Wright