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The Ministry of Energy is changing its trend: it will prioritize the production of solar energy over the use of natural gas

Minister Steinitz announced a freeze on the construction of four large gas-fired power plants, in parallel with advancing plans to generate energy from the sun, amid a public struggle he warned against air pollution. Environmental activists: "Historic day of residents' victory over large and wealthy systems"

• Air Pollution
• Natural gas
• solar energy
• renewable energy

Eli Ashkenazi

The construction of four large gas-powered power plants, three of them in the north of the country, has been suspended, the Minister of Energy, Yuval Steinitz, announced today (Tuesday). This, against the background of widespread public criticism of northern residents and heads of local authorities, in light of the fear of air pollution. In parallel with the freeze, the Ministry of Energy decided to promote plans to generate electricity from solar energy - a decision that marks a change in policy trend, and giving priority to the use of such energy over energy derived from gas.

The four stations were planned to be built in the Beit She'an Valley, the Gilboa area, the Afula area and the Beit Shemesh area. Following the decision, the director general of the Ministry of Energy, Udi Adiri, announced today to the National Planning and Building Council that they have withdrawn from the agenda. The total volume of the stations - 4,860 megawatts per hour - constitutes more than 50% of the currently planned natural gas power.

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In addition, Steinitz announced his intention to work to freeze new plans for electricity generation in natural gas that are not at approved or already existing sites, and that priority will be given to power plants adjacent to existing infrastructure.

The environmental organization "Struggle 2020 - Together we keep the house", which operates in the north of the country, welcomed the decision. "This is a tremendous achievement that came after a campaign of persuasion against batteries of oiled lobbyists," the organization said. "We have succeeded in combining many forces to change the approach of the Ministry of Energy. A series of polluting power plants, some of whose construction they intended to declare today, have fallen off the public agenda. This is a historic day of residents' victory over large and wealthy systems. .

Four frozen power plants:

• "Mevoot Gilboa" in the Ta'anach region, west of Afula (1,160 megawatts)
• "Deer" in the Beit She'an area (1,740 megawatts)
• "Wet" in the Beit Shemesh area (800 megawatts)
• "Sagi 2000" west of Migdal HaEmek (1,160 megawatts)

As written in Walla! NEWS Last Friday, criticism was heard in the northern region in the face of the state's lack of planning in setting up energy projects and leaving the area to market forces - which led to the planning of gas-powered power plants and huge wind turbines near localities. The decision made today seeks, among other things, to correct this distortion as well.

Steinitz explained that "the new plan to double the use of solar energy and make Israel a world leader in this field, plus the promotion of electricity storage facilities, allows us to dramatically reduce the construction of new power plants throughout Israel."

The ultimate goal is to expand the use of renewable energy so that 30% of Israel's electricity will be generated from solar energy by 2030. The Ministry of Energy said that according to this policy, more than 12,000 megawatts of solar electricity will be built in the next decade and another 2,200 megawatts for electricity storage. This makes it possible to make do now with the design of natural gas-powered power plants with a capacity of only about 4,000 megawatts, of which only the stations that the economy will need will be built in the future. According to the ministry, this program will contribute to the Israeli economy and the environment.

More on Walla! NEWS

Residents in the north against the construction of wind turbines near the settlements: "The damage is greater than the benefit"

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"Victory on the right path"

The Gilboa Regional Council defined the decision as an "amazing achievement." Oved Nur, head of the council, said that "the council has vigorously led a stubborn environmental struggle for the quality and safety of our lives. We expressed strong opposition that was received in all planning committees, when in all those discussions the categorical opposition of Gilboa communities and residents was expressed. "Things are right, so we will continue to use all the means at our disposal to thwart the initiatives that harm us, and we will maintain the quality of life of our residents," Nur said.

The chairman of the Interior and Environmental Protection Committee, MK Miki Haimovich, also welcomed the decision of the Ministry of Energy. "This is another victory on the right path. I am very happy that the ongoing struggle of the residents with our support is beginning to bear fruit," Haimovich said. "In an era of climate crisis, Israel must focus its efforts on the transition to renewable energy and not on building a series of gas-fired power plants that will perpetuate the use of fossil fuels and cause pollution damage to large populations. Hopefully this is the beginning "Close to their homes and those who are still fighting for more plans, and strengthens the Ministry of Energy to continue in this position for the benefit of the environment and the health of the residents."