• Primary Program Energy Transitions and Electric Power
  • Research Interests تحولات الطاقة والطاقة الكهربائية

Biography

Nawaz was the Strategy and Planning Director at KAPSARC. He was previously the program director for Energy Transitions and Electric Power. Before joining KAPSARC, he was the Chief Economist at the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) where he led the strategic transformation project and advised on strategic planning issues. Before SEC, Nawaz was director of Market Strategy at Enbala and senior economist at the Ontario Independent Electricity System Operator.

Publications

See all Nawaz’s publications
  • Discussion papers
  • Data Insight
  • Instant Insights
  • Commentaries
  • KAPSARC journal article
  • External journal articles
  • Think20 (T20)
Saudi Arabia’s Unfolding Power Sector Reform: Features, Challenges and Opportunities for Market Integration

Saudi Arabia’s Unfolding Power Sector Reform: Features, Challenges and Opportunities for Market Integration

Today, there is a physical exchange of electricity between Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. However, this is not the same as competitive trade in electricity. Numerous studies have shown the efficiency benefits of electricity trade among GCC countries. These studies inevitably make simplifying assumptions about several complex issues in the power sector of these countries to focus on the economic gains of trade. However, issues such as the availability of transparent information so that participants can trade, transmission access and pricing, the level of competition in the wholesale electricity market, the coordination of system operations, and the harmonization of power sector structures and market rules are all very important. 

21st June 2020
Temperature Trends Across Cities in Saudi Arabia

Temperature Trends Across Cities in Saudi Arabia

KAPSARC examined temperature data for 11 cities spread across Saudi Arabia over 10 years. Except for Makkah, all cities in Saudi Arabia were warmer in 2018 compared with the national 10-year average. 

15th September 2019
Impact of the COVID-19 Lockdown on Electricity Demand: Global Insights and Implications for Saudi Arabia

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

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 lockdown measures. We will follow this up with a second insight, presenting several scenarios for the evolution of electricity demand in Saudi Arabia for the rest of 2020.  

11th June 2020
Transition Risks, Creative Destruction, and Stranded Assets

Transition Risks, Creative Destruction, and Stranded Assets

Ten years ago, climate risks were absent from the top five global risks in the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks report. In their 2020 report, the top five global risks are all climate-related: extreme weather, climate action failure, natural disasters, biodiversity loss, and manmade environmental disasters.

11th March 2020
Electricity Demand Growth in Saudi Arabia: Cyclical Stagnation or Structural Adaptation?

Electricity Demand Growth in Saudi Arabia: Cyclical Stagnation or Structural Adaptation?

A recent International Monetary Fund report noted that in 2018, Saudi Arabia’s energy price reforms generated 41.3 billion Saudi riyals (SAR) (11 billion US$) in new non-oil revenue for the government. The power sector contributed 25% of this revenue gain (10.1 billion SAR or 2.5 billion US$). The power sector’s future non-oil fiscal revenue contributions will depend largely on the long-term demand for electricity in the Kingdom. Electricity demand has stagnated in the last three years. It is not yet clear whether this is due to short-term cyclical or long-term structural changes in the economy.

24th November 2019
Is Saudi Arabia Getting Warmer?

Is Saudi Arabia Getting Warmer?

According to NASA, the world is getting warmer. Warmer weather increases the demand for cooling, which subsequently increases the demand for electricity. Is Saudi Arabia getting warmer? And how might this impact the demand for electricity in the Kingdom? To answer these questions, KAPSARC examined temperature data1 for 13 cities spread across Saudi Arabia over 29 years (from 1990 to 2018). The cities included Riyadh, Jeddah, Dhahran, Madinah, Arar, Sakaka, Tabuk, Hail, Buraydah, Albaha, Abha, Jazan, and Najran. 

6th April 2020
Electricity Sector Reforms in Abu Dhabi and Oman: What Have We Learned?

Electricity Sector Reforms in Abu Dhabi and Oman: What Have We Learned?

Chile was the first country to reform its electricity sector. The reform program was first mooted when Chile’s National Energy Commission was established in 1978; it took off with the enactment of the country’s Electricity Sector Law in 1982. This law is still cited as landmark legislation in the electricity industry. Since then, many countries have implemented reforms to revamp their electricity sectors, such as the unbundling, privatization and independent regulation in England and Wales in 1989.

20th October 2019
An Improved Understanding of The Balance of System Costs Can Improve The Economics of Solar PV Projects

An Improved Understanding of The Balance of System Costs Can Improve The Economics of Solar PV Projects

Much of the discussion around the cost of solar photovoltaic (PV) generation has focused on the costs of PV modules that convert sunlight to electricity. The overall capital cost of a PV system consists of two components: the cost of the modules and the balance-of-systems (BOS) costs. The BOS is a catch-all term to describe everything needed to erect and commission the PV system. The BOS costs include cables, the mounting system, solar inverters, labor costs, permitting costs, and site preparation costs.

18th September 2019
Estimating the price elasticity of export trades in the Ontario electricity market

Estimating the price elasticity of export trades in the Ontario electricity market

Working Paper, IESO, Market Analysis and Research

2008
High Frequency Export and Price Responses in the Ontario Electricity Market

High Frequency Export and Price Responses in the Ontario Electricity Market

The Energy Journal

2008
Assessment of Reforms in the Electricity Supply Industry: A Review of Some Recent Empirical Studies

Assessment of Reforms in the Electricity Supply Industry: A Review of Some Recent Empirical Studies

The Electricity Journal

2007

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