KKL-JNF does a great deal to promote research and development in the field of renewable energies. On Wednesday, December 30, a new solar field was dedicated on the roof of the KKL-JNF head offices in Jerusalem.
The roof of the KKL-JNF head offices in Jerusalem was a rather cold place to be on Wednesday, December 30, but the attention of the KKL-JNF officials who braved the wind to dedicate the roof’s new solar field was focused on the warmth of the sun. In the words of KKL-JNF World Chairman Danny Atar, “KKL-JNF is Israel’s leading green organization, and as such, we are turning our attention to renewable energy sources. The solar panels that now cover the roof of our head office in Jerusalem are a pilot project that will be replicated throughout Israel, particularly in cities and villages far away from the central region. This is part of our new urban renewal project, which we will be implementing in accordance with the agreement recently signed between KKL-JNF and the Israeli government.”
The ceremony was emceed by KKL-JNF Public Relations Director Elisha Mizrahi, who noted that the day before, December 29th, was KKL-JNF’s 114th anniversary. “It was Yonah Kremintsky, an electrical engineer, who convinced Binyamin Zeev Herzl at the Fifth Zionist Congress in Basel to come back to the conference hall and make certain that the proposal to found a Jewish national fund was accepted. Kremintysky was one of the foremost electrical entrepreneurs of his time in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, so it is most fitting that we are dedicating the new solar energy system today.”
The new solar field on the KKL-JNF roof covers an area of 430 square meters. One of the main obstacles that any solar energy project must address is that energy is produced only when there is sunlight, so it is very important to take full advantage of daylight. To this end, a unique optimizer that was recently developed in Israel was added at the last minute, which allows for a record 97% utilization of the sun’s energy. In addition, a cutting-edge monitoring system makes it possible to immediately pinpoint the location of any problems, so that the system will not stop functioning for extended periods of time.
Gil Panner, KKL-JNF's director of Economic Development, who was responsible for the implementation of the project, noted that there was a projected return of 14% on KKL-JNF’s investment, “which is very impressive. I want to thank the KKL-JNF management for their support, and also all the KKL-JNF personnel who helped make it possible.”
“Our goal is to take full advantage of any potential source of energy and income that we have access to,” said KKL-JNF Director General Meir Speigler. “Some people talk, while other people do. KKL-JNF is working together with the Environmental Ministry to promote renewable energy throughout the country.”