WIND TAKES GOLAN HEIGHTS

A pass over the Golan will soon reveal a big new wind installation atop its heights, a joint venture between an Israeli company and a U.S.-based multinational energy producer.

This is the second week in a row NewEnergyNews has led "Sunday World" with a story about a major U.S. New Energy provider moving into another country to do business. (See BIG SUN FOR INDIA)

Meanwhile, the U.S. Congress dithers and withholds incentives vital for the New Energy industries to grow and prosper domestically. Insiders say that if the Congress doesn't extend the investment and production tax credits by June, investments worth $20 billion and 120,000 U.S. jobs will begin migrating.

Send a message to Congress: Support Renewable Energy Tax Credits

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AES, Mei Golan to build wind turbines farm
Avi Bar-Eli, April 15, 2008 (Haaretz)
and
Texas leads in petroleum production, but also in wind energy
Zafrir Rinat, April 16, 2008 (Haaretz)

WHO
Mei Golan, AES

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WHAT
Mei Golan and AES will partner on a wind energy installation in the historic Golan Heights.

WHEN
- The companies signed the preliminary agreement April 15. AES will now apply to the Israeli Electricity Authority for licensing of the project’s first stage.
- Mei Golan Wind Energy built Israel’s first commercial wind power installation in 1992.

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WHERE
- The Mei Golan wind farm is at Tel Assania.
- The new installation will be in the north-eastern Golan Heights between Majdal Shams and Alonei Habashan, mainly within privately owned orchards.

WHY
- The full installation will have 150 turbines, a 380 megawatt capacity and will cost $600 million. The first stage will have a 200 megawatt capacity at a cost of $330 million.
- Half of the Golan turbines will be in orchards owned by Jewish communities and half in Druze village orchards.
- The present Tel Assania installation is much smaller (10 turbines, 6 megawatts). 20% of its electricity is sold to the grid. Commercial customers include the Mei Eden plant and the Golan Wineries.
- Mei Golan’s primary business is bottling mineral water.
- AES is one of the U.S. biggest energy producers.
- The agreement calls for an equal partnership.

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QUOTES
From Haaretz: “The use of wind energy, which thus far has been considered trivial in the international energy market, is expanding…The main problem with expanding the use of wind energy in recent years has been a shortage of turbines. In order to manufacture them, no less than 8,000 components are needed. A shortage that had existed in some of them because of the increasing demand also led to an increase in the price of turbines. Recently, however, the extent of production of components like blades for the turbines has increased, and it is estimated that in 2009 it will be possible to satisfy the increasing demand…”