Israel National Roads Company Ltd. is set to publish tenders for the installation of wind turbines to produce electricity for street lighting. The company believes that the progress recently achieved in contacts with the Ministry of Interior's National Planning and Building Commission will enable the publication of the tenders this year.

The tenders will be for supply, installation, and maintenance of wind electricity production turbines for 20 years. The tenders will be published after a survey is undertaken to check the economic feasibility of potential sites.

At a conference yesterday, National Roads Co. CFO Shay Yiftach said that small wind turbines could be placed on street lighting poles on the coastal highway to take advantage of the sea winds.

Israel National Roads Co. CEO Alex Viznitzer said, "We are initiating steps to integrate systems for producing renewable energy into the infrastructure of highways. Thousands of acres of available land at interchanges can be exploited for placing photovoltaic solar arrays. Many thousands of street lights can use wind turbines."

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on April 27, 2010

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