Forget about renewable energy in Israel, Infrastructure Ministry says

Monday, Dec 08, 2008

We can forget about renewable energy in Israel, according to National Infrastructure Ministry Director General Hezi Kugler. Speaking Wednesday before the annual convention of Electrical and Electronics Engineers in Israel, Kugler said that the treasury recently told National Infrastructure Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer that the renewable energy program has not been included in the in the national economic stimulus plan.

At this stage, renewable energy is a luxury: the stimulous plan seeks effective programs that can generate positive income, not consume subsidies, Kugler explained.

The stimulus plan has in effect entirely ignored the energy industry, and is making every effort to block a bill that would make the Negev and Arava priority areas for development of renewable energy, Kugler said. Treasury representatives were absent from the conference.