Saudi Arabia has decided to set up a scientific centre for civilian nuclear and renewable energy to meet rising demand for power and desalinated water.<br/>According to Saudi news agency SPA, former commerce minister Hashem bin Abdullah Yamani was named to head the King Abdullah City for Nuclear and Renewable Energies, to be built in Riyadh.<br/>The center would undertake research and develop projects in nuclear and alternative energies toward the goal of diversifying the kingdom's power generation away from oil and natural gas.<br/>