Israel hopes for an accelerated expansion of solar power and storage capacity to help the country reach 40% of power generation from renewable energy by 2030, according Renewables Now, citing the Israeli government.
The transition will allow the country’s energy sector to save almost $1.88 billion while eliminating the need to build new fossil-fuel power plants and reduce pollution.
To decrease carbon dioxide emissions and reach the net-zero target, the country has to deploy approximately 20 gigawatts (GW) of solar power, combined with 5.5 GW of storage capacity. The numbers are outlined in the action plan of Israel’s Ministry of Environmental Protection.
“To achieve the strategic goal of a zero-emissions and competitive economy, we must accelerate the transition from using polluting fuels to generating electricity from renewable, clean and economic energy,” said Tamar Zandberg, Minister of Environmental Protection.
According to the ministry, the new plants should be built in structured and fertilized areas. This will allow the country to tap the growing potential for renewables and solar energy on buildings and many other types of civic infrastructure to preserve open spaces and ecosystems.
The plan will also help decrease greenhouse gase emissions from the electricity sector by 42% instead of 30%, as currently planned.
The energy sector is the largest air pollutant in Israel, accounting for 42% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. That share is expected to rise even further given the electrification of transportation and industry parts.
The action plan also includes recommendations for regulatory measures and optimization and implementation of control systems in the power distribution network. Additionally, it sets priorities in the development of the distribution network to improve the absorption of renewable energy.
