Israel signed a deal to build a multi-megawatt, thermo-solar power
plant together with its partner the Israeli global infrastructure group
Shikun & Binui, according to an announcement on Monday.
The total
investment of the project will be approximately $1 billion andand 110
MW Solar Thermal Electricity (STE) plant Ashalim will be able to store
energy in order to produce electricity whenever required after sunset,
according to the announcement.
It will be the largest solar plant
in Israel and it will providea 4.5 hour thermal energy storage system
using molten salts. The plant will produce clean and dispatchable energy
to serve more than 69,000 households in Israel, while preventing the
emission of 463,000 tons of CO2 annually.
"Ashalim power plant
will supply clean electricity to the Israel Electricity Corporation
under a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) signed in late 2013,"
report read.
Construction of Ashalim is expected to start before
the end of July 2015 in Western Negev Desert in Israel, 35 km south of
the city of Beer Sheva, close to the village of Ashalim, on an area
designated by the Israeli authorities.
The project is expected to
create an average workforce of 633 during construction, and about 60
people for plant operation and maintenance.
(Anadolu Agency)