Reducing High Energy Demand Associated with Air-Conditioning Needs in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Electricity consumption in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has grown at an annual rate of about 7% as a result of population and economic growth. The consumption of the residential sector accounts for over 50% of the total energy generation. Moreover, the energy consumption of air-conditioning (AC) systems has become 70% of residential buildings’ total electricity consumption in the summer months, leading to a high peak electricity demand. This study investigates solutions that will tackle the problem of high energy demand associated with KSA’s air-conditioning needs in residential buildings. To reduce the AC energy consumption in the residential sector, we propose the use of smart control in the thermostat settings. Smart control can be utilized by (i) scheduling and advance control of the operation of AC systems and (ii) remotely setting the thermostats appropriately by the utilities. In this study, we model typical residential buildings and, crucially, occupancy behavior based on behavioral data obtained through a survey. The potential impacts in terms of achievable electricity savings of different AC operation modes for residential houses of Riyadh city are presented. The results from our computer simulations show that the solutions intended to reduce energy consumption effectively, particularly in the advance mode of operation, resulted in a 30% to 40% increase in total annual energy savings.

Using Artificial Intelligence to Predict Wind Speed for Energy Application in Saudi Arabia

“…In Saudi Arabia, 15% of domestic oil production is used to generate electricity, and another 50% is consumed by electric power plants [5,6]. According to the Electricity and Cogeneration Regulatory Authority, the residential sector consumes 50% of the generated power [7,8]. In the last ten years, the consumption per capita increased from 7258 kWh/Capita to 9167 kWh/Capita.…”

“…As the wind speed and nonlinear fluctuations represent the main components in the prediction of the energy output of wind turbines, improving wind forecasting has substantial financial and technical benefits, and assists electrical system In Saudi Arabia, 15% of domestic oil production is used to generate electricity, and another 50% is consumed by electric power plants [5,6]. According to the Electricity and Cogeneration Regulatory Authority, the residential sector consumes 50% of the generated power [7,8]. In the last ten years, the consumption per capita increased from 7258 kWh/Capita to 9167 kWh/Capita.…”

A Resilience and Environmentally Sustainable Assessment Framework (RESAF) for Domestic Building Materials in Saudi Arabia

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Experimental Analysis of Mist Injection and Water Shower Indirect Evaporative Cooling in Harsh Climate

“…Hot arid countries heavily rely on air conditioning to create comfortable indoor environments for occupants around the year. Electrical energy consumption of air conditioning in residential buildings is relatively high in hot climate countries and accounts for 70% of the total energy consumption [1][2][3]. The use of several evaporative cooling (EC) is becoming increasingly popular and continues to be studied by various researchers who have focused on a variety of aspects, such as developing smaller and lightweight cooling units.…”