Tambour Hefer Ecology Ltd. has begun delivering electricity to the national grid from its new power plant driven by manure and other organic waste located in Hefer Valley, near Hadera.
Tambour Hefer Ecology is a joint venture of Granite Hacarmel Investments Ltd. (TASE: GRNT) subsidiary Global Environmental Solutions Ltd. (GES) and Hefer Ecology & Co-Desalination Cooperative Society.
Within a year, the power plant will generate 2-2.4 megawatt/hour (MW/h). Initial output is 1.6 MW/h, of which 1.3 MW/h is delivered to the national grid and 300 KW/h is used to operate the facility itself. The facility was built to comply with the stricter environmental protection regulations applying to local authorities. The Hefer Valley Cooperative Society was ordered to reduce pollutants generated by the communities’ 12,000 dairy cows, and decided to build the manure-driven power station to solve the problem.
GES said that the Hefer Valley plant is the first large-scale plant of its kind in Israel, and one of the first in the world. The plant utilizes 600 tons of manure a day. The manure is sterilized, and the solid and liquid waste are then processed to produce methane, which drives the generators to make electricity.
Granite Hacarmel CEO Amiaz Sagis said, “This is unquestionably an important milestone. This facility fits in with Granite Hacarmel’s strategy to invest in infrastructures and ecology. The company is also investing resources to develop alternative energy, water treatment, and desalination.”
Sources at Granite Hacarmel said the project cost NIS 40 million, including a NIS 9 million grant from the Ministry of Agriculture under its program to reform Israel’s dairy industry.
GES, formerly Tambour Ecology was founded in 1997 through the merger of three companies.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on July 31, 2007
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