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An Israel Action Committee Report
By Cheryl Pine: The axiom “necessity is the mother of invention,” applies to the growing call for innovative and enterprising approaches to energy conservation and alternative energy sources. Israel—through both governmental and private efforts-- is answering this call with new ideas in the areas of water conservation and independence from foreign oil. With limited freshwater resources, minimal cooperation from its neighboring countries and modest levels of rainfall, Israel has pioneered innovations in the areas of drip irrigation and desalination to address its severe shortages of water for drinking and for agricultural use. Drip irrigation saves water and fertilizer by allowing water to drip slowly to the roots of plants through a network of tubes. In ancient times, drip irrigation took the form of buried clay pots filled with water which would gradually seep into the grass. Today, since 70 percent of the world’s water is transferred via irrigation, drip irrigation has become one of the most valued innovations in modern agriculture. The modern technology of drip irrigation was invented in Israel by Simcha Blass who employed a system which allowed water to be released through larger and longer passageways by using velocity to slow water inside a plastic emitter. The first experimental system of this type was established in 1959 when Blass partnered with Kibbutz Hatzerim to create an irrigation company called Netafim. Together they developed and patented the first practical surface drip irrigation emitter. By the late 1960’s this method was applied widely in the West and has great potential for developing countries in Asia and Africa. Desalination efforts in Israel are growing as water demand increases and the main source of Israel’s potable water, the Sea of Galilee on the northeastern border, has been shrinking. In desalination, salt and other minerals are extracted from seawater by various means, including reverse osmosis. In order to utilize the Mediterranean Sea on its western coast as an important source of drinking water for Israel, Mekorot, the Israel Water Authority, has constructed several desalination plants around Israel, including a new one in Hadera which is the largest desalination facility in the world. As Israel seeks to find the appropriate balance between its water sources, water desalination is a growing, yet still small part of Israel’s water supply. An Israel government-run initiative, NEWtech offers communities and countries information on accessing Israeli water technologies. Globally, oil independence is being sought for both environmental and strategic reasons. Not only are natural oil resources being depleted, the profits of major oil producers are financing international terrorism and instability. The advantage to electric cars over hybrid ones is that electric cars would eliminate the need for oil. A new Israeli start-up, Better Place, the brainchild of software executive Shai Agassi, has invested in the development of electric car batteries and plans for a “smart grid” to manage the charging of electric cars. Additionally, it is working with an international car maker which would manufacture electric cars in Israel. Several governmental entities have already committed to utilizing the Better Place plan system. If successful, the ambitious Better Plan system of electric cars would provide significant global benefits.
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