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PortugueseThe project will use photovoltaic technology combined with large-scale energy storage, allowing electricity produced during daylight hours to be supplied to the grid at night or during periods of high demand.
By Shula Rosen
Israel has signed a concession agreement to build a new solar power facility with integrated battery storage at the Ashalim energy complex in the Negev, a project expected to add significant capacity to the national electricity grid, the Finance Ministry said Sunday.
Under the agreement, the facility will be constructed, operated, and maintained on the site of Plot A of the existing Ashalim solar thermal power plant, south of Be’er Sheva. The project will use photovoltaic technology combined with large-scale energy storage, allowing electricity produced during daylight hours to be supplied to the grid at night or during periods of high demand.
According to details released by the ministry, the plant will be capable of delivering up to 80 megawatts of electricity to the national grid. While the output capacity will stand at 80 megawatts, the installed solar panel capacity will total 150 megawatts. The storage system will be able to hold approximately 400 megawatt-hours of electricity.
Electricity generated by the facility will be sold to the national grid in line with the Electricity Authority’s market regulation governing high-voltage facilities that integrate storage and operate under a competitive market model. Officials said the structure is designed to support grid stability while encouraging private-sector participation in renewable energy production.
The Finance Ministry said the project forms part of Israel’s broader effort to expand the use of clean energy and reduce pollution. The government has set a target of generating 30 percent of the country’s electricity from renewable sources by 2030, with large-scale solar projects in the Negev seen as central to meeting that goal.
Once the new facility is completed, renewable energy installations in the Ashalim area are expected to supply more than 800 megawatts of electricity to Israel’s power grid, according to government estimates. Officials said the concentration of projects in the area reflects both favorable geographic conditions and long-term planning aimed at strengthening energy independence.
Construction timelines were not disclosed, but the ministry said the agreement marks another step in accelerating Israel’s transition toward a more resilient and diversified energy system.
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