A large-scale solar project—Ketura Sun field—was launched in the Negev Desert in Israel by Arava Power Company, who recently partnered with Siemens. With billions of dollars to be invested, another 40 new projects are planned, hoping to boost the country's solar energy production and create jobs.
In the early 1970s, Israel became the first country to require that every rooftop install a solar power system to generate the energy needed to heat water.
But despite that, Israel has never had a big solar power plant. Now, times are changing. The Arava Power company has finished construction of the country's first large solar facility—Ketura sun field—in the Negev Desert. It is producing five megawatts of power.
David Rosenblatt, Vice Chairman, Arava Power said: "The number of consumers that will benefit from that (new power plant) is anticipated to be 8,000, but the way that it works is that the field is directly connected to Israel's grid and the Israel electric company distributes the energy as needed." The Siemens corporation recently invested
$15 million dollars in Israeli Arava, buying 40% of the company.
The project is green and environmentally-friendly for more reasons than one. In 20 years it is projected that the land will be returned to its previous state and 99% of the materials we used will go to recycling.
Many ethnic Bedouins live in southern Israel, and with their unemployment rate exceeding 30%, many are hoping additional plants will turn into jobs needed for the construction and developing the field from scratch.
