Tomorrow (Thursday), Shikun Webinui Energy and Hof HaKarmel Water Association are expected to inaugurate the largest floating photovoltaic facility in Israel with a generation capacity of 23 MW. This is the Habonim database under the jurisdiction of the Hof Hacarmel Regional Council. Habonim Reservoir is a new reservoir for Moshavim water for agricultural use with a total area of approximately 450 dunams. The reservoir has a capacity of about 3.3 million cubic meters and contains tertiary Moshavim water that will reach the Nir Etzion sewage treatment plant from the north and the Hof Hakarmel water system from the south.
According to a presentation by Shikun VeBinui Energy, it entered into a contract for the sale of electricity from the reservoir for 25 years, ie, until 2046. The overall construction cost of the project is around NIS 77–80 million, with an estimated annual revenue of NIS 8–9 million (out of the two partnerships), so that over the entire period, i.e. 25 years, these are the expected revenues of NIS 225. million. Funding for the project is provided by Discount Bank.
The floating photovoltaic facility on Habonim Reservoir has a capacity of 23 MW, and is expected to supply electricity to approximately 3,000 homes. The project consists of approximately 51,500 panels and involves 160 dunams of purified water. The project will be connected to the electricity grid, as part of a regulation to set tariffs for photovoltaic installations on rooftops and reservoirs, which are not included in the winning quota in competitive processes.
The “Hof Hof Hacarmel” Water Association is an agricultural cooperative water association owned by 19 moshawim and kibbutzim in the region. Housing and Construction Energy belongs to the Housing and Construction Group.
“The company will continue to establish a long line of projects in the energy sector”
Shikun VeBinui Energy’s major projects include the largest photovoltaic power plant in Tze’elim (120 MW) in Israel, the Ashalim thermo-solar power plant (110 MWh with a capacity to store molten salt with a capacity of about 500 MWh) , Gilboa (300 MW with a storage capacity of about 3,000 MW), a pumped storage project at the Ramat Hovv power plant (natural gas), which is the largest private station in Israel (about 1,150 MW).
Group President and CEO, Tamir Cohen, said that “this is an innovative project that allows housing and construction to express their knowledge, experience and professionalism in the best possible way.” “The company will continue to establish a long line of projects in the energy sector in accordance with the strategic plan, which states that the energy sector is one of the most important growth engines in the coming years.”
Alon Raveh, CEO of Shikun Webinui Energy, said: “Shikun Webinui is proud to be at the forefront of the dual-use revolution led by the Ministry of Energy. Largest floating solar facility in Israel amounting to 23 MW in collaboration with the Carmel Coastal Water Association The completion of the construction of the U.S. includes more than 1,000 agricultural land assigned to the country for the construction of solar facilities on arable land, and hundreds of sites where we promote energy storage facilities in Israel.”
