Israel’s Ministry of Energy and Infrastructures is promoting a plan for dual use of land for the production of photovoltaic electricity (solar based energy) and storage.
The first part of the plan is for the construction of a solar power plant and storage facility in the Arava (the valley that runs from the Dead Sea to Eilat) near Ramon Airport and the Timna mine. The plan promotes dual use for solar production in wastewater reservoirs, on top of a parking lot, agricultural areas and a mining and quarrying site. All this, without the need for additional planning for an electricity network and based on the existing network, including storage facilities.
The plan includes four complexes for the construction of solar facilities, substations and storage, with an estimated area of about 1,000 acres. It is estimated that the solar production from the four complexes will be more than 250 MW.
There are also plans for an agro-voltaic (energy for agriculture) facility.
The ministry said that the plan will help achieve the government’s goals for electricity production using renewable energies, and it does not require the construction of an additional overhead transmission system towards the north.
The plan is now out for the comments of the district committees and the public’s comments, and in the next step it will reach a discussion of objections and a decision regarding giving effect to the committee for national infrastructures.
