Wind Power News: Israel
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational effort to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Israeli environment ministry recommends scaling down wind turbine plans in Galilee
Three companies have been told either to curb their plans to build wind turbines in the Upper Galilee or build them somewhere else, after the Environmental Protection Ministry decided that wind farms not only create noise and mar the landscape, but put birds’ and bats’ lives in danger. The ministry delivered its opinion to the Northern District Planning and Building Committee ahead of a debate on the wind-turbine plan next week. If the committee adopts the plan despite the ministry’s . . . Complete story »
Residents in Northern Israel campaign against plan to set up wind turbines
The government’s plans to set up wind turbines to generate electricity in the Galilee were supposed to herald a new environmental era. But residents are campaigning against the enterprise, out of fear of damage to the landscape, noise and other hazards. Galilee residents have been plagued by several environmental hazards in recent years, such as dust-emitting quarries, illegal waste-burning and sewage flowing in streams. But none of these afflictions seem to have evoked such intense protests as the planned wind . . . Complete story »
Despite fears of harming birds, plan for Israeli wind farm moves forward
A government committee has given the go-ahead to build a wind farm on the Golan Heights over the objections of environmentalists who warn that the turbines will pose a serious threat to the region’s birds of prey, particularly eagles that are at risk of extinction. The plan, the initiative of an Israeli company, Enlight Renewable Energy, is currently at the stage of receiving input from the public. It was opposed both by environment experts on the National Infrastructure Committee, which . . . Complete story »
Ministry promoting wind turbines in areas slated for nature and preservation
The National Infrastructure, Energy and Water Ministry is acting to enable the installation of wind turbines for producing energy, even in areas designated for nature and landscape preservation. The ministry’s proposal to enable the expansion of the areas where turbines can be built will be discussed on Monday day in the National Planning and Building Council. A few weeks ago the council and the government approved changes in the National Development Master Plan (Tama 35), and decided that a plan . . . Complete story »
Wind turbines in southern Israel would hurt bird migration, environmentalists say
A company producing electricity from wind-power seeks to install giant turbines in the Eilat area, which environmentalists fear endanger the important international bird migration route in the area. Last week Israel joined an international agreement protecting birds of prey in Europe, Asia and Africa. The agreement, signed in Bonn, Germany, recommends not erecting wind turbines on migration routes because the birds fly into the turbines and are injured or killed by the blades. The bird migration route through Israel is . . . Complete story »
Major wind farm being built in Israel, first in 30 years
For the first time in decades, Israeli is building wind turbines which will create electricity by harnessing the power of the wind. Afcon Holdings, a part of the Shlomo Group, has started construction in recent days on two wind farms, which will house 25 wind turbines each in Ramat Sirin and Ma’ale Gilboa in northern Israel. The turbines can produce 21 megawatts of electricity at any given moment, and are set to become active next year. Harnessing the wind’s energy . . . Complete story »
Environmentalists protest overhead electricity line planned for Hula Valley
A high voltage, above-ground electricity line planned to cross the Hula Valley could threaten the lives of hundreds of birds every year, according to Israeli environmental groups. The Israel Electric Corporation is promoting the installation of the electricity line, which is set to cross the Hula Valley and reach the Golan Heights to connect potential future wind farms, the organizations explained in a statement released on Tuesday. Among the protesting groups are the Society for the Protection of Nature in . . . Complete story »
3 Golan Heights wind energy projects approved
Eurocom Group subsidiary Enlight Renewable Energy Solutions Ltd. (TASE:ENLT) has obtained provisional licenses from the Ministry of National Infrastructures, Energy, and Water Resources for three large projects for producing 400 megawatts of electricity from its wind-driven turbines. The three projects are located in the Golan Heights in areas with strong winds: the Emek Habacha (Vale of Tears) Project, with a provisional license to produce 102 megawatts; the Emek Haruchot (Valley of Winds) Project, with a provisional license to produce 169 . . . Complete story »
National Council approves promotion of 30 sites for wind farm construction
The National Council for Planning and Building decided on Tuesday to promote the construction of large wind farms and turbines on 30 sites around the country. The decision occurred after an interministerial team that was reviewing the topographic effects of establishing wind farms submitted its recommendations to the council. The team examined a total of 160 applications for the construction of large wind farms and turbines, and recommended proceeding with 34 of them, according to information distributed among Israel Wind . . . Complete story »
Israel’s Bird King Yossi Leshem: Jordan’s Tafila wind farm is a “real problem”
Jordan is pushing ahead with the largest commercial scale wind farm in the Middle East region, the Tafila Wind Farm, seemingly without care for the massive bird migration population that passes through Jordan twice a year. Green Prophet called Israel’s Bird King, bird migration specialist Prof. Yossi Leshem. He knows of the plans and says “it’s a real problem.” No one from the Jordan wind turbine consortia has consulted him, he says. Tomorrow, Monday, he will be going to a . . . Complete story »
