Filenews 14 March 2021 - by Andreas Pibisis
Israel and Cyprus have the same characteristics in the energy sector and the two countries can make many joint projects and partnerships. Aytan Parn as, speaking to "F", records the "green path" that the two countries may take in the energy sector. As head of the Association for Green Energy in Israel, he mentions a number of measures that can be taken in this direction. Above all, it shows the steps That Cyprus must take in order to follow Israel. Etan Parns – director general and founder of the Green Energy Association – stresses that "in Israel for the transition to a low-carbon economy, which is now part of the process of mitigating climate change".
- Why do you think we should move to green? What does your organization do and what is its role in this matter?
- We are an organisation, an industrial association that acts on what we call 'green energy' in Israel: solar, wind, waste exploitation, energy efficiency, energy storage, electrical transport and energy technology. We are working in Israel on the transition to a low-carbon economy, which is now part of the process of mitigating climate change. For our region, it is a particularly important and pressing problem. Israel pays particular attention to this issue not only because of its geographical location but also because of its tradition in the field of innovation. It has been a legacy for the country since first MP David Ben Gurion analysed the situation when Israel was recreated in 1948. It was very clear that the earth had no natural resources and as a visionary, he wanted to focus on science. The focus was on solar, wind power and water desalination. In desalination of water and solar energy Israel has done very well. Especially in water desalination it is now considered a world leader.
As far as solar energy is concerned, Ben Gurion had invited a Jewish scientist from the United Kingdom, Dr. Harry Zvi Tazor, to become director of a physics laboratory and to try to collect solar energy, as Israel had no fuel, coal, etc. He invented the surface of the Tabur that covers the solar panels of hot water. The rest is history, today 94% of Israeli households use the Tabar surface in their solar panels, while this innovation has also been applied to solar thermal power stations.
For the record, Israel's first President, Haim Weitzman, was also a remarkable scientist with a history of clean technology. Although the idea was for military use, Weitzman was responsible for creating Aceton from sugar.
- What is the situation with renewable energy sources in Israel, what investments have been made and what RES have been emphasised? In Cyprus, grants (and more) were given to households and businesses to make buildings energy efficient by installing solar panels on all roofs in Cyprus. What is the experience in Israel with such plans?
- In Israel since 2008 we have mainly focused on solar energy, although there are also few wind farms (Israel is a key migration route for birds flying from Asia to Europe and back, which is one reason why this form of energy production is not used so much). Israel's finance ministry controls the electricity market through the Public Services Authority. Although Israel has a lot of solar radiation, the DSM did not allow this sector to develop until 2013, when solar power became cheap enough for the government not to subsidize it. In 2017 the first photovoltaic auctions were determined by the DSO and in 2018 the first unrestricted project was decided, which led to huge growth. Today Israel is considered one of the most advanced countries in the field of photovoltaics and we will soon reach 10% in 2nd place worldwide in the application of solar photovoltaics.
Like Cyprus, we are an energy state, without interconnection with neighbours, without hydropower, etc. In 2016 the government set a target of 17% res energy in 2030, a month ago the target was differentiated and increased to 30% by 2030, of which 26% will be from solar energy. This is a very ambitious programme for us to be able to achieve. And it means at the same time that we're going to need the corresponding power pools. The application of solar storage has already begun and about 860 MW have been auctioned.
- The "green agreement" recently announced by the EU offers funding and opportunities. What possibilities do you see for Cyprus and for cooperation between the two countries?
- Israel and Cyprus have the same characteristics in terms of energy. Both are isolated (Energy Island), and rely mainly on fossil fuels. Smart electricity management is the key. Cyprus can learn from Israel, and Israel can learn from Cyprus. One idea discussed in the past is to use Cyprus to test Israeli technologies and together with the Israeli embassy in Cyprus we intend to restart a pilot project this year. Cyprus is part of the EU and success in Cyprus will allow Israeli start-ups a good start for the EU market as well as in the neighbourhood.
- Is there the possibility of tripartite cooperation with Greece or regionally with Arab countries such as the UAE that recently signed peace agreements with Israel? The EuroAsia interconnection (which will connect Israel, Cyprus with mainland Greece and then Europe) is an example that this cooperation can lead to.
- The perspective offered by tripartite and regional cooperation is enormous and offers mutual benefit. With regard to tripartite cooperation, it offers mutual benefit and could promote and enhance the sustainable and economic development of the three countries.
A practical example of tripartite cooperation is Euroasia Interconnector, which is a promising effort with multiple benefits. Recent peace agreements with countries such as the UNITED STATES also offer many possibilities for both Israel and Cyprus. We have already started with the Israeli EDF arm of the French national electricity company working with Masdar of the United States. In our region, deserts can be places from which energy can be exported to Europe.
Climate will be the next crisis
- In a post-Covid-19 world, what do you see happening with regard to renewable energy, climate change and the environment in general?
- The pandemic is a catalyst in understanding that the world can be plunged into a long and costly crisis, when we overcome it, climate change will be the next crisis to be addressed.
A green industrial revolution is highly likely. De-carbon discharge is a global phenomenon. This new growth cycle will have a multiplier effect on employment and new green projects.
The European Union places great emphasis on the 'green agreement' and we must take advantage of these synergies. If we recognise the unique advantages that our two countries have, imagine what can be achieved if they work together at the same time. All the ingredients are there - there will be enough funding and lots of opportunities of course. Let us understand the moment and work together for a better world and a better future.
Persistence in environmentally friendly technologies
- Speaking of energy, we must not forget the discovery of natural gas in both Cyprus and Israel. Will this in any way affect the transition to green energy? Is it an obstacle?
- Yes, the gas findings have had a big impact on the green energy market in Israel. On the one hand, it confuses all the decision-makers here for a few years and there is a big debate about whether or not to build new gas-fired power stations. On the other hand, we must keep in mind that natural gas is a flexible fuel that allows for the completion of RES. Natural gas is a transitional fuel. It will allow Israel to achieve the RES targets, but there will come a time when gas will be combated. We should insist on more environmentally friendly storage technologies, such as green hydrogen, to completely move away from natural gas.
- Is complete independence from conventional fossil fuels a utopia? According to Eurostat, the share of electricity from renewable sources (mainly photovoltaic and wind) in Cyprus is around 10%.
- It's possible. In Israel the capacity from mineral production is 16GW, in summer the maximum capacity is 13GW. In Cyprus it reaches 1GW but it is seasonal. So if Israel will need 8GW storage to reach the 30% target, the numbers in the case of Cyprus are much lower and Cyprus can now design the storage strategy and can be there much faster than Israel.
THE ISRAELI KNOW HOW
- Climate change is a "hot" issue. Cyprus has taken a regional initiative on climate change actions. What do you think and what role can Israel play?
- Being a centre of excellence for climate technologies, Israel is already there. We just have to stress it and push. And as an organisation we are acting in that direction. Israel has developed many solutions in the environmental field that we can share with the whole world. For example, the reforestation of dry and semi-arid areas is something that Israel has almost 100 years of experience and has brought invaluable knowledge, statistics and an understanding of how forests are planted and preserved. This will also be important for Cyprus that I read that it has taken an initiative to coordinate climate change actions in the region. As far as I know, our two countries are discussing possible ways of cooperation.
