Solaria displays this image on its website, where it states that its vision is to “to enable every household and business in Israel to make use of and profit from advanced solar energy technology.”
Israel-based Shikun & Binui Solaria, a subsidiary of the Arison Group’s Shikun & Binui Renewable Energies, will build a 6.7 MW solar PV (photovoltaic) field in southern Israel in collaboration with the Spanish multinational Soltec Renewable Energies. According to the agreement announced this week, the solar power facility will be built at the site of the Timna copper mines, not far from Kibbutz Ketura, where Arava Power is building Israel’s first land-based PV array following a landmark power purchase agreement (PPA) signed in November.
Solaria and Soltec formed a joint venture to pursue solar projects in Israel and the partners now have over 12 MW of solar facilities in the pipeline for 2011-2012. “We are very pleased to collaborate with Shikun & Binui Solaria to develop the photovoltaic market in Israel,” said Raul Morales, CEO of Soltec Renewable Energies in the announcement this week. Tali Nechushtan, CEO of Shikun & Binui Solaria, feels likewise: “We are pleased to be one of the pioneers of PV ground installations in Israel with Soltec.”
The two companies are apparently undeterred by Israel’s decision this week to freeze the feed-in tariff regime for large-scale solar projects of 10 MW and over.
Copper was mined at the Timna site for thousands of years and continued through the mid-1980s. Today the Timna Copper Mines company engages in recycling non-ferrous scrap metals.
Read related Green Prophet posts:
Israel Signs Landmark Solar Energy Agreement with Arava Power
Will Solar Fields Cover Israel’s Last Open Spaces?
Spain’s Solaer is Bullish on Israel’s PV Market
Author: Ira Moskowitz
When his kids were small, Ira would point to litter on the ground and tell them: “That makes me angry!” He still gets angry about pollution, waste and abusive treatment of our world, but is encouraged by the growing awareness of environmental issues and has been following the latest developments in cleantech with great interest. Ira grew up in the green hills of western Massachusetts and moved to Israel in the early 1980s after completing an MA in Middle Eastern Studies. He has worked as a software developer and journalist, and translates works of Hebrew fiction and non-fiction to English. Ira is trying to age gracefully, but refuses to surrender his youthful belief in the potential for change, including a collaborative future for the peoples of the Middle East. To contact Ira, email ira (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
