No it’s not Spiderman and friends, just green activists trying to call attention to the environmental impact of coal-burning power plants.
Greenpeace went to great heights yesterday to express opposition to plans for a new coal-burning power plant in Israel. Five Greenpeace activists scaled the cables of the Chords Bridge at the entrance to Jerusalem and hung a huge banner (44 square meters) imploring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: Stop the coal plant.
Israel currently generates nearly all of its electricity from imported fossil fuels – coal (60-65%), natural gas and crude oil. Efforts to transition from coal to natural gas, a greener solution, received a boost with the recent discovery of substantial off-shore reserves of natural gas. The Israeli government has also set a goal of generating 5% of the country’s electricity needs from renewable energy in 2014 and 10% in 2020. (Today, renewable energy accounts for less than 1%.) The projected mix of renewable energy in 2020 includes: about 49% solar, 30% wind and 21% biofuel.
Greenpeace is not the only opponent of the proposed coal-fired plant. The Ministry of Environment also says: “The construction of a new coal-fired power plant in Israel would present a health and environmental hazard due to the high pollutant emissions and low energy efficiency of such a station compared to stations fired by natural gas.”
Image via Greenpeace
You can read a lot more on this issue on Green Prophet:
Coal-Clad Celebrities Take Part in Greenpeace Israel Exhibition
Greenpeace Israel Boards Coal Ship At Sea To Protest New Coal Plant
Shut Down the New Coal-Fired Power Plants, Says Environment Minister
The Battle Against Coal Power Stations Heats Up in Israel
“The Story of Coal” a Wake-Up Call to Users (and Abusers) of Electricity
