KAPSARC holds annual conferences and forums as well as periodic workshops and lectures that focus on issues related to energy and the environment. These past KAPSARC events will give readers an indication of the types of meetings that are hosted by the Center:
Global Design Workshop
The two-day Global Design Workshop, completed on November 21, 2008, allowed KAPSARC to crystallize its approach to energy research. Twenty distinguished global energy leaders, including experts from Saudi Aramco, CERA and a number of other world-class institutes, participated.
Workshop on Domestic Petroleum Products—Information, Monitoring and Forecasting
The first workshop on Domestic Petroleum Products was held in Dhahran on March 11, 2009. Jointly organized by KAPSARC and the Saudi Aramco Domestic Sales and Logistics Department (DS&L), the workshop’s objective was to build a common understanding of the challenges faced when forecasting the need for Saudi petroleum products. The workshop created a platform to brainstorm the gaps in domestic petroleum products research and forecasting. It also stimulated discussions about the current and future roles—and synergies—between Saudi Aramco and KAPSARC in the area of data collection and analysis.
Workshop on Solar Energy
Twenty-five experts and professionals from the field of solar and renewable energy attended KAPSARC’s first internal workshop which was held in Al-Khobar on February 23, 2010. The Solar Energy Workshop, hosted by KAPSARC’s Research Division, was conducted in relation to the KAPSARC early operations project “Solar Energy Market Incentives for Kingdom-Wide Adoption with Policy Perspectives”. The workshop focused on identifying the range of possible governance frameworks for a solar energy market incentives policy and program to be developed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It also discussed the energy economics modeling and the financial analysis of solar power generation.
International Advisory Committee (IAC) Meeting
The first KAPSARC International Advisory Committee (IAC) meeting was held in London, February 25-27, 2010. Under the chairmanship of H.E. the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Saudi Arabia, and the co-chairmanship of IAC member Mr. Abdallah S. Jum’ah, the meeting was attended by twelve (12) prominent IAC members in addition to the KAPSARC interim leadership team. On the first day the team reviewed, discussed and provided detailed feedback on the KAPSARC research, human capital and reputation and relationship strategies. The second day focused on defining the role and working relationship between the IAC and the KAPSARC team, as well as identifying their supporting role in achieving the critical milestones for 2010.
Workshop on Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) Project
A workshop was held on the Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) Project in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, on June 27-29, 2010. Sponsored by KAPSARC’s Energy & Environmental Technology Research Division (E&ETR), the participants were: KAPSARC, the French consortium of Geogreen, IFP and BRGM, and Saudi Aramco’s Reservoir Characterization Department. The workshop focused on the evaluation of the first draft design package of the GIS functionalities for CO2 storage location identification, transport route optimization and storage capacity calculation. It also discussed the validation of geological requirements, examined data inquiries and discussed upcoming CCS Book and technical publications.
Workshop on Energy Efficiency Project
A workshop was held on the Energy Efficiency Project in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, on June 29-30, 2010. The workshop was organized by KAPSARC Energy Data & Modeling Division (ED&M) and was attended by representatives from The Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ), National Energy Efficiency Program (NEEP) and Saudi Aramco organizations and KAPSARC Interim President and Directors. The objective of the workshop was to review the energy efficiency initiatives and practices in many countries around the world and to outline the national (KSA) initiatives and practices. The workshop also discussed Japan’s successful implementation of energy efficiency programs and the implications in Japan’s economy. During the workshop, KAPSARC, NEEP and IEEJ conducted a review session over the Energy Efficiency Project and agreed on a deliverable calendar for the project Work Packages.
