- Israel has become home to a 60 MW bifacial solar power plant, commissioned by EDF Renewables
- The Arava Valley project is located near copper mining region of the country
- EDF Renewables won the rights to operate the facility under a 2016 auction
A large scale solar power plant with 154,000 bifacial solar PV panels represents the ‘1st’ large scale rollout of this technology in Israel, claims EDF Renewables that has installed these panels for a 60 MW solar facility in the country.
The 60 MW Timna Solar Power Plant in Israel’s Arava Valley is located close to the country’s Timna copper mines in the far south on 100 hectare space. EDF Renewables said it won the project in the largest competitive tender held in Israel in 2016 securing rights to operate the facility for 25 years.
Executive Vice-President of International Operations of EDF Renewables, Frédéric Belloy called it one of the company’s ‘finest projects in Israel’.
The Timna Solar Power Plant takes the French company’s total operational solar power plant capacity in Israel to close to 390 MW with 20 projects, and building another 14 new projects, including floating solar facilities on large water reservoirs in the country.
In May 2021, German solar EPC company Belectric said it will build 19.3 MW floating solar power capacity on a water reservoir for fish farming near Kibbutz Lohamei HaGeta’ot, Israel for EDF Renewables as one of the largest such facilities in the country (see 19.3 MW Floating Solar PV Project Planned In Israel).
For France’s EDF Group, the 60 MW solar facility contributes to its efforts towards its CAP Strategy 2030 to double its net renewables capacity from 28 GW to 60 GW between 2015 and 2030.
It also adds to Israel’s predominant goal to have 30% renewable energy share in the national electricity mix by 2030 (see Israel Approves 30% Renewable Energy Target For 2030).
