Saudi Aramco and Japan's Showa Shell have signed a letter of intent to study the feasibility of generating power from the sun, using proprietary Showa Shell technology in a pilot project in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Khalid G. Al-Buainain, Saudi Aramco Senior Vice President for Refining, Marketing & International; and Shigeya Kato, Chairman of Showa Shell; signed the letter of intent on June 12, 2009, in Tokyo, according to a report carried today by Saudi Aramco's web-site. The pilot project also enjoys the firm support of the Japanese government and its Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). On his part, Toru Ishida, Director General of METI's Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, welcomed the agreement and affirmed the ministry's backing of the initiative. --MORE
