Photovoltaic power generation from solar panels in Israel

Israel's location and climate allow a high potential for solar energy production. This report investigates solar and renewable energy development in Israel's past, and present, as well as future plans. It presents main players in the space such as existing and future government and independent initiatives.

There are two segments of solar energy: photovoltaic industry and concentrated solar power. The leading Israeli companies deal with concentrated solar power (CSP) such as solar towers and solar reflectors, since CSP produces a higher amount of energy per cost value in regions with high solar incidence, like Israel's Negev desert.

This early, state-backed use of solar energy made the industry boom: nowadays, solar energy accounts for 3% of the primary national energy consumption in Israel, making the country the world leader per capita. Solar waters can be seen on rooftops of most residential buildings all around the country.

Due to years of accumulated experience and ingenuity, Israel is at the cutting edge of solar energy technology, and Israeli companies are incorporated within solar projects around the world. For example, market leaders in utility scale projects include Israel-based BrightSource Industries, Solel and Brenmiller Energy.

The policy aims to drastically change Israel's infrastructure, making it one of the leading in the OECD in the production of solar energy as green energy, rather than natural gas, and improve the country's economy. The national plan is to be evaluated in stages, with the aim for the end of 2025 to increase Israel's solar energy output to 20%.

The Ministry of Energy and Water and the Electric Authority must approve every action relating to energy on the market, such as price changes, renewable energy integration, etc. Since the 1920s, Israel has been producing commercial energy. The primary producer of energy was and still is Israel's Electric Company.