Estimating Regional Variation in Saudi Arabia’s Energy Usage and Carbon Emissions

  • Focus Area Future of Transport and Fuel Demand Future of Transport and Fuel Demand
  • Type Discussion paper
  • Date 18 July 2023
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Abstract

Estimates of regional energy consumption and carbon emissions could be useful for agencies investigating the effects of regionally targeted investments and policy interventions. Using gasoline consumption in Saudi Arabia as a case study, we develop two approaches for estimating the regional variation in gasoline consumption in Saudi Arabia: a sector-specific approach and a generic econometrics-based approach. Our findings reveal that Riyadh and Makkah, which account for 60% of the nation’s population and economic activity, consume 58% of the country’s gasoline. In contrast, the Eastern Region accounts for 22% of economic activity but only 11% of gasoline consumption, in line with its population concentration of approximately 15%. Furthermore, the correlation between the sector-specific and generic econometrics-based approaches suggests that the latter may be a good proxy for estimating regional variations in energy consumption.

Authors

Abdulrahman Alwosheel

Abdulrahman Alwosheel

Lead- Transportation & Infrastructure Abdulrahman is a Lead Transportation & Infrastructure expert at King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC). Before joining KAPSARC,…

Abdulrahman is a Lead Transportation & Infrastructure expert at King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC). Before joining KAPSARC, Abdulrahman was a Lecturer at the College of Engineering at Muhammed Ibn Saud University. He also worked as a Traffic Engineer at the Riyadh Metro project. His interests are in transport demand modeling, aviation transport, life cycle analysis, alternative fuels, and energy demand. Abdulrahman holds a master’s degree in Transportation Planning and Engineering and a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering.

Expertise

  • Transport Demand Modeling
  • Aviation Transport
  • Life Cycle Analysis
  • Alternative Fuels and Energy Demand

Publications See all Abdulrahman Alwosheel’s publications

Rubal Dua

Rubal Dua

Principal Fellow- Transport & Urban Infrastructure Rubal is a principal fellow at KAPSARC focused on understanding consumer decision making, in particular, consumer choice of energy-efficient technologies…

Rubal is a principal fellow at KAPSARC focused on understanding consumer decision making, in particular, consumer choice of energy-efficient technologies and mobility options under alternative technology and policy scenarios. Before joining KAPSARC, Rubal gained a Ph.D. at KAUST designing advanced carbon materials for energy and environmental applications, with a particular focus on energy storage, carbon capture, waste-water treatment, and hydrogen generation via solar water splitting. Prior to that, he worked at the University of Pennsylvania on a semiconductor industry-funded project, developing a continuum modeling framework for simulating the physics of micro defect formation in silicon crystals.

Expertise

  • Behavorial decision science
  • Consumer adoption
  • Energy-efficient mobility and shared autonomous mobility-on-demand

Publications See all Rubal Dua’s publications

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