An Australian company is making a big bet on electric vehicles in Saudi Arabia with a massive mining investment, the use of power in Saudi Arabia flattens out, and the Kingdom explores the possibility of economic free zones to attract foreign investment in Saudi.

4:30 – Topic #1: This week, An Australian company called EV Metals Group Plc plans to invest $3 billion in Saudi Arabia, according to Bloomberg. The investment is a bet on the metals used in batteries for electric vehicles (EVs.) 

9:08 – Topic #2: Electricity and Power demand in Saudi Arabia. Electricity demand in Saudi Arabia changing after the implementation of efficiency measures and energy price reforms. KAPSARC projected the growth in total Saudi electricity demand to significantly decelerate over the coming decade compared with the historical trend. Has consumer behavior structurally shifted?

14:00 – Topic #3: Saudi Arabia plans to create special economic zones offering incentives to invest in sectors including health care, manufacturing and cloud computing. Investment in the kingdom has been “less than hoped for,” Al-Falih said, according to Bloomberg. “We want to import capital — and bring back Saudi capital that didn’t find opportunities inside our kingdom.”