Minister of Energy presented $ 80 billion investment plan to position Israel as a global leader in the field
Steinitz. Beyond producing nearly a third of electricity through renewable energy
Photo:
Coco - Archive
In Yuval Steinitz's previous post as Minister of Energy, the emphasis was on implementing the natural gas outline and strategic collaborations, and from now on the central move that will characterize the firm's activity is the realization of the ambitious goal: beyond the production of almost a third of electricity in the country through renewable energy, mainly solar.
"This move will make Israel the leader in solar energy in the Western world," Minister Steinitz said at a special press conference he convened on Monday. "This is an ambitious target that I have set for the next ten years. This is the amount of energy that is equal to Israel's production today - only in the sun and in storage. For that matter, more than NIS 80 billion will be invested, mainly from private money. This is a huge economic engine that generates tens of thousands of jobs."
He said elements in the Electricity Authority, together with Dr. Asaf Eilat, had been sitting on the shaft for the past seven months, to check the feasibility of the target and the conditions needed to realize it.
The working assumptions are that in Israel, the sun is the almost exclusive source of renewable energy, although this could change in the future.
The minister's policy so far has led to the fact that last year coal accounted for only 30% of energy sources for electricity generation, and this year it is expected to decline to 24%. The route of decline is expected to lead to cessation of coal production, which is considered to be the most polluting source of options today.
"We are talking about a 6x doubling of electricity generation capacity used in the next ten years. The power that we are supposed to reach in 2030 will be used as all electricity in Israel today - about 16,000 megawatts. In solar energy, Israel will become a leader, according to IRENA "The International Renewable Energy Agency - which, for example, expects Italy to reach 17% in renewable energy within 14 years and Germany to 14%. Israel is expected to reach 24% under this plan."
According to the minister, one of the key benefits would be a dramatic reduction in air pollution to reach extremely low levels of pollution from electricity generation in terms of NOX and SO2 emissions.
The minister added: "There will also be a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions. As part of Israel's international commitment, we will decline by 50% in terms of units per capita, which puts us in a good place even in comparison with developed countries in the world. During this, there are two major elements: a dramatic increase in electricity storage capacity - Batteries and storage are pumped to a capacity of 3,000 megawatts by 2030. All this growth is based on private investment, including the construction of solar panels in the tens of thousands of roofs.
"The fact that we are planning such a large amount of production means that we can greatly reduce conventional, conventional gas stations, even if we cannot stop production entirely."
Minister Steinitz stressed: "We are doing this responsibly. We will not reach the situation because of the weather conditions there will be no electricity available in Israel. We will be among the first in the world, but responsible for ensuring available electricity supply and 100% energy security."
Chairman of the Electricity Authority Dr. Asaf Eilat said at the press conference: "This is an exciting moment on a personal level and for PA staff. Many of us here believe in promoting renewable energy. By 2030 there will be hours in which 90% of electricity generation will be based on renewable energy, including production Of pumped energy. Production used will be the most significant. "