During the past week, the Eilat Eilot Renewable Energy Conference took place in Israel and several companies struck deals and agreements were signed. Chicago and Jerusalem formed an environmental partnership, while Poland and the US city of Akron signed water deals. Check below for these stories and the rest of this week’s headlines.

Partnerships
1. Israel and Chicago Form Historic Environmental Partnership
“We need mammoth human collaboration in order to surmount our global environmental problems. And let’s face it, we have a few of those: coral reefs potentially a thing of the past by 2050, oil set to peak just as the demand for it increases, and water- the source of all life – already a luxury commodity in places like Yemen. But it isn’t over till it’s over. In recognition of their numerous challenges, but determined to overcome them, two cities are planning to create mutual solutions…”

2. Israel and Poland sign agreement on water, energy (Roundup)
” Israel and Poland signed a joint declaration of cooperation on water supply and sustainable energy technology Thursday, as the two countries held a joint cabinet meeting that Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu said would strengthen ties…”

3. Akron inks deal for water security
“Akron plans to spend about $3.5 million to upgrade the security of its water-treatment facilities…”

Investment
4. “Cleantech funding focuses on mature cos”
“One of the questions that have been raised about the global cleantech industry is whether venture capital funds can finance companies in the field, and bring them to an exit…”

5. Israel Cleantech Ventures Raising $100 Million for Energy Innovation
‘Israel Cleantech Ventures, the tiny but talented nation’s first cleantech-focused fund, is now more than halfway to raising a $100 million fund, according to a filing this week…”

Transportation
6. Proposed California Bill Could Be Big for Israel’s Innowattech
“Energy Harvesting Journal posted earlier today that California Assemblyman Mike Gatto has proposed a bill that would require the state to use piezoelectric technology on its highways. The technology generates electricity from the vibrations on the road that are created by passing vehicles…”

Water
7. Israel’s IDE Uses Waste Heat in China for “Greener” Desalinated Water
“Israel has been a world leader in desalination technology and projects by through companies like Tahal and IDE Technologies. IDE has already constructed more than 400 desalination plants in 40 countries, including at least 3 in Israel – the world’s largest reverse osmosis plants. Now IDE is expanding its foreign operations even more by signing a deal with China’s large Tianjin SDIC electricity company to build four additional Multi-Effect Distillation (MED) desalination units, each with a production capacity of 25,000 cubic meters of distilled water per day. The idea is to power the plants using wasted heat from other sources…”

Missed last week’s headlines edition? Catch up on green software, Israel’s cleantech plan, how Israel will lead the search for oil substitutes, and more.

Image via moaksey.

The post Israel Cleantech Intelligence: Renewable Energy and 6 Headlines appeared first on Green Prophet.

Between 11,500 and 51,000 vehicles drive on California freeways and expressways every day.

Energy Harvesting Journal posted earlier today that California Assemblyman Mike Gatto has proposed a bill that would require the state to use piezoelectric technology on its highways. The technology generates electricity from the vibrations on the road that are created by passing vehicles.

The examples Gatto give are its implementations on stretches of highway in Italy and Israel but he doesn’t mention the name of the company behind the technology used in the two countries. The company is Israel’s Innowattech, which also created a version of its technology for rails of railways.

If the proposed bill is passed, Caltrans, which is in charge of California’s roadways, would be required to use some of its budget to run two pilot projects, one in Northern California and one in Southern California, according to Energy Harvesting Journal. The power generated can then power road signs or the grid.

According to CAHighways.org, 11,995.50 miles are in California’s Freeway and Expressway system and between 11,520 to 51,773 vehicles use them every day.

If Innowattech is selected for the pilots, that could be the company’s big break. Aside from Innowattech’s deal in Italy last May, it has been quiet on additional deals it has signed since. Its railpad technology has drawn considerable attention on the Internet but it is yet to be determined if it has also generated any sales. It also faces competition from East Japan Railway Co.

Several Israeli solar companies have been building solar plants in California to help generate electricity to power part of the grid. One company, BrightSource Energy is building the largest solar power plant in the world. Upon completion it is expected to power 140,000 homes. Last October it was praised by President Obama in a weekly address.

:: Energy Harvesting Journal

Image via richardmasoner.

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Green software from Israel, Solergy’s Israeli CEO, Egyptian gas in Israel, and more headlines related to Israeli cleantech and the environment.

The water crisis in Israel, the Palestinian Territories, and Jordan will reach a point where they are likely to solve it together in the future, predicted an Indian think tank in a report released earlier this week . Israeli solar energy company SolarEdge was among Red Herring’s Global 100 2010 winners and Israel is planning to invest billions of dollars into testing alternatives to oil in Israel.  For these stories and the rest of this week’s headlines, see below.

Environment
‘Green’ software saves money and trees
“Offices on four continents are using Israeli company Preton’s products to reduce paper and ink use as well as their carbon footprint…”

Solar
Italy’s Solergy Headed by Israeli From the Global Village
“Reared in California by Israeli parents, and married to an Italian wife, Yoav Banin speaks to his two young sons in Hebrew while raising them in Rome. This 38-year-old trilingual Silicon Valley veteran is co-founder and chief executive officer of Solergy, founded in 2007 to create and manufacture advanced concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) technology. Using optics to focus sunlight over 500 times onto special photovoltaic cells, CPV increases solar energy conversion efficiency while reducing the amount of expensive materials that often hamper the practicality of this field…”

SolarEdge Technologies Wins the Red Herring Global 100 Award 2010
“SolarEdge Technologies, an innovative provider of distributed solar power harvesting and PV monitoring solutions, today announced that it has received the Red Herring Global 100 award. The honor recognizes the leading private companies from North America, Europe, and Asia, celebrating their innovations and technologies across their respective industries…”

Water
‘Israel in worst shape for water resources in Mideast’
“An Indian thinktank, Strategic Foresight Group, released a report Saturday that claims that Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian territories are in the worst shape in the Middle East with clean water resources, citing a 500-700 million cubic meter water deficit each. Middle Eastern counties will have no choice to cooperate as water resources in the region dwindle causing shortages, the report said…”

In Israel
Israel’s cleantech mega-plan
“”The global interest in Israel’s energy R&D and technology is out of all proportion to the size of the country,” says Dr. Eli Opper, former Chief Scientist and now chairman of the Eureka High Level Group (HLG). Israel currently holds the chairmanship of Eureka, the European R&D program, of which more than 40 countries are members…”

How Israel Will Lead The Search For Oil Substitutes (And How The Rest Of The World Is Watching)
“Long considered leaders of R&D and Clean Technology, particularly in the fields of water desalination and solar energy technology, Israel has now set firm sights on leading the shift away from oil dependence. Between now and 2020, the tiny country intends to spend NIS 14 billion (US $ 3.82 billion) to help innovators and researchers test viable alternatives to oil. And while often slow to implement their own technology, cooperation with Europe may change that…”

EGYPT’S GAS SUPPLY TO ISRAEL TO RESUME NEXT WEEK
“Egypt’s supply of natural gas to Israel will resume flowing next week, the Egyptian gas company E-gas has announced…”

Environmental Minister Choose Greening Israel Over UN Post
“Israel’s Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan turned down an opportunity to represent Israel as ambassador to the United Nations, according to a Jerusalem Post report…”

Missed last week’s headlines edition? Catch up on Israel’s water crisis, its desalination production plan, ZenithSolar’s demo in Australia, and more.

Image via Wayne National Forest.

The post Israel Cleantech Intelligence: Israel’s Cleantech Plan and 7 More Headlines appeared first on Green Prophet.

Israel’s new desalination plan, water cooperation in the Middle East, Solaris Synergy, and more headlines related to Israeli cleantech and the environment.

Following reports that the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) only rose 16 centimeters in January, the Israeli government moved quickly earlier this week to pass an emergency plan that will increase desalination production capabilities. Better Place founder and CEO Shai Agassi spoke about the high gas prices in Israel and need for electric cars and ZenithSolar demoed its solar panel technology in Australia. For these stories and the rest of this week’s headlines, see below.

Water Shortage in Israel
Israel’s New Water Crisis Management Plan
“The growing water crisis in Israel has prompted the Cabinet to approve an emergency plan to increase production of desalinated water. The plan, which entails around-the-clock operation of desalination facilities in the country, is expected to result in production of some 420 million cubic meters of the life-giving fluid in 2013…”

Kinneret rises only 16 centimeters in January
“The water level of Lake Kinneret has risen 2.5 centimeters since Sunday and 5.5 centimeters since the beginning of the storm on Thursday. In total, the Kinneret has risen 15 to 16 centimeters in January, Water Authority Spokesman Uri Schor said on Monday…”

Cabinet approves 420m cu.m. desalination plan
“The cabinet today approved an emergency plan to increase desalinated water production to 420 million cubic meters in 2013, in order to deal with the water crisis and ensure a reliable supply of water to the population, while protecting natural water sources. The production target is larger than the amount of water drawn annually from the Kinneret…”

Can Water Cooperation Be a Model for Middle East Peacemaking?
“Over a fine glass of wine, overlooking the Arabian Sea from the Omani capital of Muscat, Roland Mollinger, a seconded Dutch career diplomat revealed a remarkable — and compelling story of how the parties of the Middle East peace process quietly makes significant strides towards solving their scarce water resources, despite the recent collapse of direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA)…”

Solar
72% Efficient ZenithSolar Gets Demo Down Under
“ZenithSolar’s first 16-unit project has been up and running successfully in Israel for a year at Kibbutz Yavne, making electricity to sell the grid, and hot water for its 230 residents, producing at peak production 250 KW Combined Heat and Power on a relatively small footprint of only 352 square meters (3,789 square feet). Now the breakthrough Israeli firm is about to bring a high profile demo to Australia, where Greenearth Energy Australia plans to show a combined heat and power solar technology that could revolutionize solar energy…”

Solar energy that floats on water
“Award winning Israeli company Solaris Synergy has designed solar energy grids that can float on water, reducing energy production costs, and preventing water loss…”

Electric Car
Electric Car Prophet Agassi: $8 Israel gas cause for change
“CNBC’s Erin Burnett just gave a short interview with Shai Agassi in Davos at the World Economic Forum about his startup, Better Place, and his opinion of electric cars in Israel…”

Missed last week’s headlines edition? Catch up on BrightSource in Greece, SolarEdge in England, friendly fish farming, and more.

Image via ChrisYunker.

The post Israel Cleantech Intelligence: National Water Plan and 6 More Headlines appeared first on Green Prophet.

SolarEdge in England, fish farming, the pros and cons of desalination, and more headlines related to Israeli cleantech and the environment.

This past week BrightSource Energy joined the competition for contracts in Greece which must comply with EU guidelines for renewable energy usage. Some army bases and municipalities in Israel are set to install solar units and trees in Israel, Europe and North America are in danger of extinction. For these stories and more, see this week’s headlines below.

Solar
BrightSource Joins Last Minute Renewables Rush in Greece to Head Off EU Fines
“As an EU member, Greece has come up against its deadline to start to comply with the EU directive to get 20-30% renewable energy on the grid by 2020, so under the direction of glamorous physicist Tina Birbili, the new and savvy Minister of Environment, Energy & Climate Change, the coal-dependent nation is now actively seeking renewable energy…”

Enlight Signs Deals To Install Solar Units On IDF Bases and Municipal Rooftops
“Though it might be frigid in many parts of the world, it has been a sunny January for Israel-based Enlight Renewable Energy Solutions. So far this month, the photovoltaic (PV) solar power integrator has announced deals to install 13-16 small PV units for two different localities, as well as 45 PV solar installations for IDF bases. Investors in Enlight, a public company traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, also have good cause to feel warm and fuzzy: The stock has delivered a handsome return of 154% over the past year…”

Newer Findings in the Efficiency of Thin Film Solar Cells Exposed
“Governments and researchers engaged in the development of solar technology are spending billions of dollars every year in developing an efficient technology to harvest solar energy and convert it into electric power cost-effectively…”

Engensa install UK’s first SolarEdge system
“Engensa recently installed the UK’s first micro-converter, a new technology that enables millions of otherwise unsuitable roofs to be used for solar PV by eliminating many of the problems associated with shading. The inverter was manufactured by SolarEdge, an Israeli-based leader in PV power optimization…”

Fishing
Israelis develop environmentally friendly fish farming
“Let’s assume that you live in the Jerusalem hills or in arid Las Vegas and you want to found a business to grow sea fish for food. Once upon a time, you would have had to migrate to the coast or lakeshore. Now it is possible to raise fish in the middle of the desert, even without a well for water, just plastic pools little different from what children play in, in backyards…”

Water
Israel sends wrong message about desalination
“SDL Desalination Ltd, a company owned by IDE Technologies and Hong Kong’s Hutchison Water, announced earlier this week that it has begun construction on the world’s largest reverse osmosis desalination plant. The plant, slated to be ready by 2013, is the final one of three that are intended to meet 44% of Israel’s water needs in 2013…”

General
Eilat-Eilot Renewable Energy Conference to Highlight Technological Innovation for Alternative Energy
“The Eilat-Eilot Renewable Energy Initiative today announced the agenda for its 4th International Eilat-Eilot Renewable Energy Conference & Exhibition taking place on February 22-24, 2011 in Eilat, Israel. This year’s event will present technological innovation, business opportunities, policies and implementations for renewable energy with a special focus on the programs for eliminating dependency on fossil fuels and promoting wider usage of alternative energy sources…”

Trees in danger of extinction
“Can you imagine Canada without the Maple Tree? Can you imagine America without the Pine Tree? Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel say such thinking is not so off-the-wall…”

Butterflies to Bat Yam
“Nature lovers spearhead efforts to transform Bat Yam into a butterfly paradise, attracting new species to the city’s streets…”

Missed last week’s headlines edition? Catch up on Israel’s Local Energy Center, highways that generate electricity, water monitoring, and more.

The post Israel Cleantech Intelligence: BrightSource and 8 More Headlines appeared first on Green Prophet.

Construction has begun in Israel on the world’s largest reverse osmosis desalination plant. What about water conservation and recycling?

SDL Desalination Ltd, a company owned by IDE Technologies and Hong Kong’s Hutchison Water, announced earlier this week that it has begun construction on the world’s largest reverse osmosis desalination plant. The plant, slated to be ready by 2013, is the final one of three that are intended to meet 44% of Israel’s water needs in 2013.

For a country such as Israel which needs water and has very limited sources, technically, this is good. However, as Israeli journalist Yermi Brenner pointed out in an article on the Huffington Post last August, it’s more complicated than that. Apparently, over the summer, the Israel Water Authority sponsored a television commercial campaign featuring Israeli actress Renna Raz and having a message that Israelis need to conserve water only until the plants open in 2013. Talk about a bad message. Conservation and reduction will still be needed.

Plus, desalination isn’t a perfect solution. It comes with a slew of pros and cons. While the big pro is having drinkable water, some cons include a high maintenance cost of building and running these plants and possible harm to the  nearby ecosystem by  the waste from the plant. Bremmer investigates the pros and cons of desalination in the following video:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoAapridgSo[/youtube]

In addition, there have been calls by Israeli environmentalists for Israel to legalize the usage of greywater – the water left over from laundry, showers, and other similar activities – for use in things such as agriculture and toilet-flushing. Since it is estimated that 70% of all water used in the home would be considered greywater, this can have a huge positive impact on water usage.

Too bad the Israeli Water Authority isn’t sending a message about conservation and the legalization of greywater.

Related articles to water in Israel:
Going On A Water Cequesta
Water Bills In Israel Go Up 40 Percent. Did Anyone Notice?

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Environmental Studies in Israel, Enlight Renewable Energy’s recent surge, Leviathan Energy, and more headlines related to Israeli cleantech and the environment.

With the aid of a 700,000 euro grant from Europe Aid, the Local Energy Center launched this past week and will help local authorities reduce stress on the power grid and become more energy efficient. A Tel Aviv University professor is challenging current theories on thin-film solar panels and construction began in central Israel on the world’s largest reverse osmosis desalination plant. For these stories and the rest of this week’s headlines, see below.

In Israel
New English International MA Program in Environmental Studies at Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University is greener because of the activity of the campus’s Porter School of Environmental Studies, which is always starting some new eco initiative. Whether it is the construction of the greenest building in Israel, or the cultivation of a community garden, chances are that the Porter School is behind it…

Israel gets ‘energy efficiency center’ with European aid
The “Local Energy Center” was launched Sunday to help local authorities reduce their electricity usage by becoming more efficient…

Solar
Israel’s solar-tech takes on new momentum
The Israeli cabinet last December approved a new national master plan that allows for the expansion of solar-powered facilities. Industry specialists said it opened the way for the long-awaited feeding of solar energy into the national electricity grid…

Enlight Advances Most in 6 Weeks on Solar System Deal
Enlight Renewable Energy Ltd. climbed the most in more than six weeks after the developer of photovoltaic systems said it won two tenders to build 13 to 16 rooftop solar systems in Israel…

Tel Aviv University recalculates efficiency paradigm for thin-film solar panels
In recent years, developers have been investigating nanotechnology-based light-harvesting thin-film photovoltaic (PV) solar panels–and promoting efficiency metrics to make the technology marketable. Now, Eran Rabani of Tel Aviv University is providing new evidence to challenge recent “charge” measurements for increasing PV-panel efficiency…

Infrastructure
In Israel, the highway is a source for generating electricity
Every time a vehicle passes over the pad, this technology converts the unit’s natural compression into electricity – which is either stored in a battery for immediate use (such as powering the lights or the security cameras along the road), or channeled to the national electricity grid…

Solar + Wind
From solar to wind energy – Israel is open to ideas
Israeli startups Solaris Synergy and Leviathan Energy cleaned up at the Israel national Cleantech Open IDEAS competition. Held in November at Tel Aviv University’s Akirov Institute for Business and Environment, the event was a feature of Global Entrepreneurship Week…

Water
SDL building largest desalination plant in Israel
SDL Desalination Ltd said on Sunday it began construction of the world’s largest reverse osmosis desalination plant, hoping to alleviate the country’s water shortage…

‘Municipalities should always monitor their water quality’
The government should adopt new regulations requiring all water corporations to continuously monitor the quality of the water, Dovev Lewinsohn, CEO of Whitewater Security and Checklight, told The Jerusalem Post last week…

Water, water everywhere and every drop to drink
An Israeli company’s water purification systems deliver safe drinking water from almost any source, including contaminated water, seawater and urine…

Missed last week’s headlines edition? Catch up on biofuel predictions, Israel’s Clean Air Act, collaboration between Israel and Virginia, and more.

Image via nmrmak.

The post Israel Cleantech Intelligence: Desalination and 9 More Headlines appeared first on Green Prophet.

Virent energy, Israel’s green police, renewable energy sources and more headlines related to Israeli cleantech and the environment.

Collaboration between Israel and Virginia is set to grow with Virginia’s plans to meet with and provide financial assistance to some Israeli cleantech companies. Israel’s Clean Air Act that was signed in 2008 finally went into effect and Israeli biofuel and energy efficiency companies are likely to see a rise in investment this year. For these stories and the rest of this week’s headlines, see below.

Biofuel
Investment in Israeli biofuel, energy efficiency to rise in 2011
This year will see a steady rise in investment in biofuel and energy efficiency companies in Israel, a government-sponsored investor based in the state has revealed to NewNet…

Virent and CleanTech champion bio-fuels
Virent Energy Systems Inc. and CleanTech have won a grant as part of a joint renewable energy program funded by the US and Israel. The project represents a combinative effort by the United States Department of Energy, the Israeli Ministry of National Infrastructures, and the Bi-national Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Foundation…

In Israel
10 Israeli Cities Celebrating Environmental Achievements in 2010
Depending on whether you’re a glass half full or glass half empty kind of person, you could reflect upon the year 2010 and see it in either a positive or negative green light. There were some environmental catastrophes, such as the Carmel fire – the worst fire in Israeli national history, but there were also some positive strides…

Israeli Green Police to Receive More Arrest Powers
Until a few years ago, environmental law enforcement was a big problem in Israel (as it is in many countries – Interpol is even getting tough on green crimes). There were some really great environmental laws in place, but the Israeli Ministry of Environmental Protection was having a hard time collecting environmental fines…

Israeli Clean Air Act Goes into Effect
As with its neighboring Middle Eastern countries, things can be slow moving in Israel sometimes. Maybe its a regional thing. But better later than never. While it would have been great if Israel’s Clean Air Act went into effect back in 2008 when it was legislated, we are still happy that it went into effect this month (a short two and a half years later)…

Solar
Is the hornet our key to renewable energy?
As every middle-school child knows, in the process of photosynthesis, plants take the sun’s energy and convert it to electrical energy. Now a Tel Aviv University team has demonstrated how a member of the animal kingdom, the Oriental hornet, takes the sun’s energy and converts it into electric power — in the brown and yellow parts of its body — as well…

Israel-Virginia
Virginia gov’t to assist five Israeli cleantech cos
The Virginia state government believes in Israeli capabilities and has launched a program to support and encourage Israeli cleantech companies. Via Virginia Israel Advisory Board (VIAB) and with the collaboration of the Zysman, Aharoni, Gayer, & Co. (ZAG) law firm, a Dominion Resources commercialization team is now in Israel to interview 25 cleantech companies, of which five will receive aid packages…

Missed last week’s headlines edition? Catch up on Israel’s Leviathan gas find, its water role in the Middle East, a look at Israel solar companies, and more.

Image via jurvetson.

The post Israel Cleantech Intelligence: Clean Air and 6 More Headlines appeared first on Green Prophet.

2010 year in review, Israel’s new wind tariff, Israel’s driest year, and more headlines related to Israeli cleantech and the environment.

Speculation continues on what Israel’s Leviathan gas find – the world’s largest gas discovery of the decade – will mean for Israel politically and economically and the impact it will have in the Middle East and rest of the world. Israel’s HCL CleanTech and Verint Energy received a grant for the research and development of converting wood into biofuel and Gulf countries looking to implement water treatment solutions are likely to turn to Israel for its expertise. For these stories and the rest of this week’s headlines, see below.

Leviathan Gas Find
Israel’s Leviathan Gas Find Will Have Widespread Repercussions for World Power

Forgotten in the gas rush

Solar
Solar Thin Films, Greensol sign LOI to form JV

In Video: Israeli Solar Tech in 2010 and 2011

Wind
Israel Offers a Too-Low Rate For Wind Feed-in Tariff

Water
Israel Well Positioned to Meet Growing Gulf Need for New Water

Investment
Virent Energy project wins $900,000 grant

Israel General
Israel Awakening to Cleantech

2010 was hottest year in Israel’s recorded history

Image via eschipul.

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The year 2010 was a big year for Israel’s solar industry. A groundbreaking renewable energy agreement was made to help the country meet its goal of producing 10% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020 while partnerships in solar energy distribution deals and more were signed by Israeli solar companies abroad. Here’s two videos recapping some of Israel’s most-promising companies in 2010 and 2011. The first video (above) focuses on solar in Israel and the second one focuses on it abroad. (click on the image to view)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM8oL-xST14[/youtube]

The post In Video: Israeli Solar Tech in 2010 and 2011 appeared first on Green Prophet.