The King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) is an advisory organization specializing in energy economics, climate, and sustainability that seeks to advance Saudi Arabia’s energy sector and inform global policies through evidence-based advice and applied research. It is located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In 2020 KAPSARC was ranked by the University of Pennsylvania Think Tank and Civil Societies Program as 12th place out of 60th in its list of global top Energy and Resource Policy think tanks. It was ranked 15th out of 103 in the MENA Think Tank Index 2019. In 2023, the center was accredited with observer status by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), actively participating in global dialogues about energy, climate, and the environment, in addition to its role as an observer to climate negotiations in the UN Climate Change Conference.
History KAPSARC was inaugurated by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman in 2016.
Governance KAPSARC's Board of Trustees has controlling authority over the center's affairs, policies and governance. Chaired by the Minister of Energy (HRH Prince Abdilaziz Bin Salman Al-Saud). The Board is responsible for the center's strategic direction, financial oversight, and alignment with Saudi Vision 2030. In 2025, the Board approved a comprehensive rebranding of the institution and the establishment of the KAPSARC School of Public Policy (KSPP). Senior advisors to the Board include former president Adam Sieminski.The current President of KAPSARC is Fahad Alajlan. He assumed the role in August 2021.
Campus The KAPSARC campus in Riyadh contains both a Residential Campus (called the REC, located on the west side) and a Research and Office Complex (called the ROC, on the east side). The 70,000 square meters Research and Office Complex was designed by Zaha Hadid, and supported by Event Communications. Hadid received the commission after a 2009 design competition. It opened in October 2017 and received a LEED Platinum certification. The complex consists of five interlocking buildings, a research center, a computer center, a conference center, a library and the Musalla, a place for prayer.
Research initiatives and publications In 2019, KAPSARC created four energy-economics products. The products will provide insights and recommendations for energy security, diversify economic resources, and curb climate change. One of its models is called the KAPSARC Energy Model (KEM). In 2019 the center's publications in 10 initiatives – including energy, economy, oil, electricity, transportation, and climate change – rose by 32.5% compared with 2018, from 86 to 114 studies. The center introduced more than 1250 open-access models and research tools to advance the understanding of energy economics and environment policy pathways. In 2022, KAPSARC launched the second edition of the Circular Carbon Economy Index, a tool to compare how 64 countries are deploying various methods and technologies to reduce their CO2 emissions. Launched during the UN Climate Change Conference, COP27, the CCE Index covers 90% of the global economy and carbon emissions. The number of countries included in the Index has increased from 30 to 64, compared with the first index that was launched during COP26 in Glasgow. The launched CCE is based on four Rs, namely, reducing, recycling, reusing, and removing.
T20 KAPSARC and the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies (KFCRIS) held the Think20 (T20) Inception Conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on January 19–20, 2020 KAPSARC represented Saudi Arabia at the T20 summit in Buenos Aires in September 2018 and participated in the T20 inception meeting for 2019 that was held in Tokyo in December 2018. The T20 is an engagement group that contributes to the G20 by providing research-based policy recommendations to the G20. The T20 presented vital policy recommendations developed by T20 Saudi Arabia task forces for consideration by the Leaders of G20 member countries during their summit in Riyadh in November 2020. The Inception Conference convened more than 150 institutions and think tanks, and over 550 attendees from 65 countries, to discuss issues covering climate and energy, women and youth, innovation and technology, multilateralism, economic development and finance, food security and access to water.
Partners KAPSARC has the strength of its international ties with more than 24 research institutes, public policy organizations and government institutions worldwide. They include:
King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KSA) King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (K.A.CARE) Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research Ministry of Economy and Planning (KSA) Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (KSA) Saudi Aramco (KSA) Saudi Electricity Company (KSA) Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (KSA) TERI University (India) Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ) The Energy and Resources Institute (India) World Bank Arabian Gulf University (Bahrain) Atlantic Council (United States) Center for Strategic and International Studies (United States) China National Petroleum Corporation – Institute of Economics and Technology China Sustainable Transport Center Derasat (Bahrain) Electricity and Cogeneration Regulatory Authority Archived 2020-02-28 at the Wayback Machine (KSA) Energy Research Institute of the NDRC (China) Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority (KSA) Imperial College (United Kingdom) Khalifa University of Science and Technology (UAE) The center has also signed an MOU with SEC, GCCIA and ECRA to develop the future of electricity in Saudi Arabia and optimize electricity trade between GCC and MENA countries.
See also King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies List of think tanks
References
External links King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center website (in English)
