Latest Mideast News: Israel Attempts to Foil Palestinian Initiative for Self-Generating Energy

28.11.11

Latest Mideast News: Israel Attempts to Foil Palestinian Initiative for Self-Generating Energy: Ramallah, November 27, 2011 (WAFA) - The Israeli decision demanding Palestinians in the west bank to obtain permits from the Israeli authorities to build solar-cells to generate electricity power, aims at thwarting the Palestinian efforts to self-generate power and stop the reliance on Israel for it, Sunday said an official.

General Director of The Palestinian Energy and Environment Research Centre (PEC), Ayman Ismail, told WAFA that the Energy & Environment Research Center proposed to the Cabinet a three-year initiative, starting from 2012, to generate electricity by using solar – cells, during which the solar-cells, with capacity of 150 Megawatts (MW), will be put on rooftops, and from which 1000 houses will benefit.

Six days after proposing the initiative, Israel demanded Palestinians to obtain special permits that allow them to install solar panels over a required space of 500 square-meters, generate power using photoelectric device, and link it to the electricity companies, according to a previous law enacted in 2008 and imposed only in settlements in the West Bank.