Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., February 12, 2008 Adar1 6, 5768 | | Israel Time: 21:30 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 13:45 08/08/2007 Sde Boker makes solar energy viable By Ofri Ilani The afternoon Negev sun shone brightly on the solar panels at the National Center for Solar Energy near Sde Boker. The center's director, physicist Prof. David Feiman, squinted into the light. "After 30 years of research on solar energy, my life's work of experiments in how to produce electricity from the sun, I can say this year that I know how to manufacture solar energy that will compete with conventional energy," he says. A few months ago, the center's scientists managed to develop a new technology of solar, or photovoltaic cells, that Feiman says will make the production of solar energy so efficient that the cost of the photovoltaic cells that convert solar energy into electricity will be negligible. In an ordinary solar panel of the type in use today, the silicon that makes up the cells is very expensive, making it a costly product. According to Feiman, photovoltaic cells carry out two functions: First, they change the light into electricity, their essential task; second, they store the light. Advertisement "The principle is to focus the light using little material," Feiman says. "We constructed a large, parabola-shaped glass plate. It not only absorbs the light, it also focuses it on one point, a thousand times more than regular sunlight." According to Feiman, "an ordinary photovoltaic cell, which is 10 by 10 centimeters, normally produces one watt of electricity. We managed to extract more than a thousand times more - 1,500 watts. In this way, the cost of a cell is 1,500 less, becoming almost nothing." "No one has ever produced so much electricity from a solar cell at this strength," he says. The Solar Energy Center is now collaborating with an Israeli start-up company, Zenith Solar, to create a home system of solar cells based on this technology within about a year. "What is good for the home is also good for the country," Feiman says. Israeli solar energy technology is already used extensively in power stations throughout the world. At the center at Sde Boker, which belongs to the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, two solar panels are installed, each one about 100 meters long, moving in synch with the sun. An oil pipe is at the center. The panels, built by Sollel, a Beit Shemesh company, are not based on photovoltaic cells, but rather focus the light on the pipe, causing it to heat up. Heat produced by panels of this type turn into steam, which moves turbines. Last month, Sollel signed a contract with the U.S. company PG&E, to build the largest power station in the world, in the Mojave desert in California, which will have about 7,000 such panels and will cover about 14 square kilometers. It is due to go into service in about four years, providing 553 megawatts of electricity. The British-born Feiman has lived at Midreshet Sde Boker since 1976, when he began researching solar energy. A world expert in the field, he says the economic model he has built will allow a significant part of Israel's energy to go solar within the decade. "We're paying about 10 cents per kilowatt/hour. If the government taxes the Electric Corporation one cent per kilowatt/hour, it will amount to about a half billion dollars a year. In a decade, we won't need any outside funding. If we want to solve Israel's energy problems, we should stop building conventional power stations and build a solar power station every year of one gigawatt - equal to two of the type of station Sollel is building in California." The National Infrastructure Ministry said it would "soon be determining electricity rates for home photovoltaic systems. At present, the parties are working on removing obstacles that have to do with land use." Click here to read about the Haaretz Group's new stand on the environment Bookmark to del.icio.us   Google N for Nakba Israeli town sues Google over claim it was built on ruins of Palestinian village. 'Jews, out!' U.S. Jew says he was kicked out of a Belgian cafe because he was wearing a skullcap.   1.   Solar farms in the desert need no water 12:32  |  Ivar 08/08/07   2.   Feiman is really Faiman 12:48  |  David Plane 08/08/07   3.   they store the light?? 12:52  |  chris 08/08/07   4.   They store the light 13:09  |  Maerton 08/08/07   5.   to#3 13:35  |  scanadu 08/08/07   6.   to chris in munich: it`s only a little mistake 13:46  |  christoph 08/08/07   7.   Solar Energy 13:54  |  Milton 08/08/07   8.   Lets hope the country understands 14:05  |  Robert 08/08/07   9.   Solar energy 14:24  |  Petsim 08/08/07   10.   Solar energy cells - to # 3, 4 and 5 14:35  |  Gilbert 08/08/07   11.   solar Energy 15:02  |  David Gutholc 08/08/07   12.   Are the British unions going to refuse to use it? 16:33  |  PETER SM 08/08/07   13.   The Future Of The Human Race 16:48  |  SM 08/08/07   14.   Using Light unto the Natioins 16:56  |  Steve 08/08/07   15.   They stole the light 17:17  |  David 08/08/07   16.   this is stolen energy 17:36  |  Clickfool 08/08/07   17.   One big HOLE - What about at night ???????????? 17:46  |  Dan 08/08/07   18.   go back to school people 18:29  |  Henry 08/08/07   19.   night time 18:47  |  thelonecabbage 08/08/07   20.   Are the British unions going to refuse to use it? 19:43  |  rehovot 08/08/07   21.   Anyway it can cut fossil energy and polution during day. 19:49  |  bibi 08/08/07   22.   #16 21:35  |  Moshe 08/08/07   23.   Solar Wind Geothermal; Border Power Plants 22:10  |  VinBeazel 08/08/07   24.   gilbert at /#10 22:13  |  scanadu 08/08/07   25.   Desert Solar Towers 22:15  |  VinBeazel 08/08/07   26.   RUACH Energy Alternatives 22:24  |  VinBeazel 08/08/07   27.   to #5 22:32  |  Jordan 08/08/07   28.   What about during night ? 22:56  |  Gilbert 08/08/07   29.   PV Cells 10:31  |  Malcolm Margolis 09/08/07   30.   important research 11:10  |  Ahlbeck 09/08/07   31.   Storing the Light 13:36  |  Moshe 09/08/07   32.   Solar panels 14:18  |  David 09/08/07   33.   One thousand suns - to #32 16:39  |  Gilbert 09/08/07   34.   solar 17:53  |  JMT 09/08/07   35.   Solar Energy 20:24  |  Sid 09/08/07   36.   SDE Boker Solar Energy 00:21  |  John A. Wagner 10/08/07   37.   solar energy 08:01  |  diego 14/08/07   38.   answ nmbr. 32 04:33  |  DG 15/08/07   39.   a new world 04:41  |  DG 15/08/07   40.   fresnel lens 05:59  |  shrinivas shankar 21/08/07   41.   #36 01:47  |  Ekow 26/08/07   42.   The energy can be stored as heat 18:44  |  Graham Willers 16/09/07   43.   conversion of solar energy to heat/electricity 02:54  |  Bozidar Kornic 25/01/08   44.   SOLAR ENERGY VIABLE (Feiman) 21:14  |  BALMES NEVES 12/02/08

Today Online Bradley Burston: Sderot as Stalingrad, Hamas as Samson Responses: 111 Ahmed Yousef: Palestinian revenge was inevitable Responses: 122 Israeli town sues Google over claim it was built on Arab village Responses: 149 Majadele: New Arab city will bolster our sense of belonging Responses: 46 Krakow church holds service slamming 'kikes who spit on us' Responses: 163 More Headlines 21:04 IDF soldier moderately hurt in stabbing attack near Jenin 18:59 Majadele: New Arab city will bolster our sense of belonging 20:30 Turkish min.: Israeli terms for satellite sale could hamper deal 21:02 Merkel: Qassams hurt Gazans, terror is at civilians' expense 19:03 Peres: If we're fired upon, we must hit back without hesitation 19:16 Poland won't sue author of book on post-WWII anti-Semitism 20:08 FM to attend Lantos memorial service in Washington, may meet Rice 16:56 Hoenlein says 'concerned' by atmosphere surrounding Obama campaign 19:45 Prosecutor rejects appeal in case of killing of Palestinian girl 17:36 Al Gore, Israeli author Amos Oz win Dan David Prize 14:06 Top reservists: Roadblocks in W. Bank do more harm than good 17:01 Asian eateries cut menu over plans to rid kitchens of foreign chefs 17:30 Namibia invites Israelis investors to help polish its diamonds Previous Editions Select Day 11 feb 10 feb 08 feb 07 feb 06 feb 05 feb 04 feb 03 feb 01 feb 31 jan 30 jan 29 jan

Special Offers Advertisement Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Dead Sea Salt Beauty and skin care from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 10% off! Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations U.S. CITIZEN IN ISRAEL Register now to vote in national election. Do not wait. Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved