Israel asks public to put solar panels on roofs to produce electricity

JERUSALEM – Israel is turning to its citizens to help produce electricity and profit from it by putting solar panels on their roofs to take advantage of the sun as a key natural resource as demand grows rapidly.

About 15 per cent of Israel’s electricity production is generated by renewable energy, with about 70 per cent coming from natural gas, and the Energy Ministry has set a target of 30 per cent by 2030 that will rise sharply by 2050 when it aims to have net-zero emissions.

“This is what the energy transition is all about – from (people) being a consumer to becoming an active member in the energy sector and becoming a producer,” Mr Ron Eifer, head of the ministry’s sustainable energy division, told Reuters.

A number of households already produce energy for themselves and sell the rest to the national grid.

Mr Eifer said these homes produce about 6,700 megawatts of capacity, but the ministry looks to sharply ramp the number since the average family consumes 8,000 kilowatts (kW) an hour per year. One megawatt is 1,000kW.

To that end, the ministry on Feb 4 launched a mapping site where residents could enter their address, and it will show them how much space they have to install solar panels as well as calculate how much electricity they would be able to generate, plus the amount money they can receive from selling any excess.

“We want to encourage citizens and local authorities to install solar roofs,” said Mr Yossi Dayan, the ministry’s director-general, adding the move would help reduce electricity bills. 

“A solar roof provides energy security for the family in times of emergency and maintains a green and clean environment.”

Most homes and apartments across Israel already have solar panels on roofs to heat water.

At 3 per cent annual growth in energy use, Israel is among the highest of Western countries, making it doubly important to keep up with demand while boosting the level of renewables in its energy mix.

Citizens, businesses and municipalities will be responsible for buying the solar panels, which Mr Eifer said usually leads to a break even in six years.

He noted that Israel, which has sun most days of the year, has no other options for renewable energy unlike others where wind or hydropower are options.

“Almost all the renewable energy we have is solar,” Mr Eifer said, adding that electricity costs in Israel are far less expensive than in countries like Germany or the Netherlands. 

“We are a solar country, and we are unique in that regard in the OECD.” 

“Israel is a small country with not a lot of space... and this is why we are encouraging and promoting to use solar in dual use of land – on top of buildings and not in open fields.” REUTERS