Arava Power Company yesterday received Israel's first permanent solar energy license for its farm at Kibbutz Ketura. The 4.95-megawatt solar energy farm, Israel's first, has been in operation since August 30.
Arava Power owns 12 licenses for mid-sized solar power facilities with a total capacity of 68 megawatts, 21% of the quota allocated to date by the Public Utilities Authority (Electricity). Arava Power invested NIS 300 million in these projects.
Minister of National Infrastructures Uzi Landau said, "This is highly important for Israel's struggle for energy independence. We will continue to try to make the generation of power in Israel as green as possible, wherever possible. Renewable energy has the power to create hundreds of jobs, especially in the periphery."
Arava Power CEO Jon Cohen said, "This is another step in turning Israel into a renewable energy powerhouse and breaking its dependence on imported energy." Arava Power president Yosef Abramowitz added, "We expect to announce shortly two more breakthroughs. The first will be licenses for solar projects for the Bedouin community, and the second will be a 40-megawatt solar energy farm at Ketura, which will supply a third of Eilat's energy needs."
Siemens Concentrated Solar Power Ltd. (formerly Solel Solar Systems) was the contractor for the solar energy farm.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on October 11, 2011
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