Israel offers Egypt to build solar power stations in Sinai
PM Netanyahu proposed joint solar energy project during recent meeting with Mubarak in Egypt.
By Avi Bar-Eli Tags: Egypt Sinai Israel newsOn his recent trip to Egypt, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proposed a joint solar energy project to President Hosni Mubarak. Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, who accompanied Netanyahu, unveiled the proposal yesterday at the Eilat-Eilot Renewable Energy Conference held in Eilat.
Egypt would provide the land for solar power plants in the Sinai, while Israel would provide the technology and operate the facilities. This would be similar to the Desertech initiative to provide 15% of Europe's energy needs by 2050 by building solar power plants in North Africa.
Ben-Eliezer said Mubarak showed interest and said he would examine the matter.
Ben-Eliezer told the conference of his dream to turn the Negev and Arava into the Silicon Valley of renewable energy.
The Foreign Ministry's Rafael Harpaz told the conference that renewable energy is a topic that allows Israel to rebrand itself in the world and create an atmosphere for doing business. "African countries have an enormous potential for Israel's solar technology companies," he said.
Of course, not everyone at the conference was quite as optimistic. "I don't want to be a pessimist, but if the issue of transmission of solar electricity from the Negev is not dealt with today, we will face a problematic reality in a few years," said the deputy chairman of the Electricity Authority, Ilan Suleiman. He explained that the electrical infrastructure in the south was built in relation to the size of the population, not for transmitting large amounts of power to the center of the country.
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Now, what about that gas deal with Egypt? Israel has it for almost nothing. and left the Egyptiens with no money in returne.
Firstly, the Israeli company Merhav was estimated to have invested US$60-70 million in the Midor refinery in Alexandria, and sold their 20% share in the company for US$150 million, so in the end the Israeli company didn't have to "abandon" the project and lose their investment. Given that was a decade ago, it's not an unreasonable show of faith for Israel to try to launch new commercial projects in an effort to rebuild its relationship with it's largest and most populous neighbour. It sounds like a positive step forward for both countries.
...behind this proposal for both countries as well as for the Gaza Strip that in all likelihood will revert back some day to Egyptian control.
. . . any possible advance in alternative energy is being shot down by the oil companies and their allies in Congress. Some of the poorest countries in Africa are expecting to be energy exporters in a few years thanks to wind farms they are building. Meanwhile, the US is falling further and further behind the rest of the world in the development of alternative energy technology.
Just have the right people reading the contract papers good this time and have the UN or mr./mrs. International Law sign it too if it must be. It is not only about money, Israel shows the will to create a win-win-win-win situation with Arabs. It serves Israel, all humans and the environment on this planet and Egypt. It will hopefully give the Saudi's somethink to think about. Not to mention the Soprano's of Syria better known as the Assad family. It will be a weakening and slap in the face of the Mullah's of Iran. It is time to declare war on OIL and to support anyone or any move doing just that.
Was Lieberman there with Netanyahu in his trip? I heard the Egyptian minister refused to be in the same room as Lieberman.
a billion $ in an oil refinery in Alexandria ,a "dividend of peace". A decade later Israel was forced to abandon the completed refinery ,,no dividend but a loss of a billion $ ,gained by Egyptians and Egyptians only . But Israelis would never learn ,now Netanyahu gives new cadeau to the Egyptians.