“I would expect the Saudis to be as truthful on this topic as they are on most others.”
Agreed, though there’s probably a bit of truth in it also. They’ll do some solar, they are in the right place for it. As far as exporting electricity, uh, not anytime soon.
The more interesting question is, “What are they worried about?” Because they are very worried about something.
"I summon my blue-eyed slaves anytime it pleases me. I command the Americans to send me their bravest soldiers to die for me. Anytime I clap my hands a stupid genie called the American ambassador appears to do my bidding. When the Americans die in my service their bodies are frozen in metal boxes by the US Embassy and American airplanes carry them away, as if they never existed. Truly, America is my favorite slave." King Fahd Bin Abdul-Aziz, Jeddeh 1993
We are now no longer in Saudi Arabia. We also no longer come when called, and everyone in the middle east knows it. Everything happening in the middle east right now is due to us leaving Saudi Arabia and Iraq, with everyone else is now trying to fill the void. Saudi Arabia sees Iran developing nukes, and threatening to destroy Saudi Arabia. Iraq is disintegrating, and ISIS is very popular within Saudi Arabia. The royal family see this as a very critical moment for their continued existence..
Because they are very worried about something
Maybe some of their wells are starting to tap out sooner than they expected but they haven’t admitted it yet!