Saudi Arabia invests in solar

materialsworld:

Week in Brief (26–30 March)

Credit: flickr/Pete

Jelliffe

Japanese investment company SoftBank Group and Saudi Arabia

are to develop the world’s largest solar power project, made up of a series of

solar parks in Saudi Arabia.

With an investment of $200bln, the project is expected to

produce up to 200 gigawatts of energy – making use of one of the country’s abundant

natural resources.

According to SoftBank Chief Executive Masayoshi Son, the

project aims to create 100,000 jobs, while reducing reliance on oil.

The first phase of the project is expected to begin this

year, with the first power produced in early 2019. Initially, solar panels will

be imported, but there are plans for manufacturing facilities on site.

To read the report, visit on.ft.com/2uqY1gK

In other news:

– MIT engineers have used kirigami-style slits in films to

develop better bandages and wearable electronics

– Fossil fuel investments have increased under Trump’s

administration

– Heathrow has completed trails of an autonomous airside vehicle

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