According to Palestinian officials, the first of four planned solar panel plants has been inaugurated as part of a project which aims to reduce dependence on Israeli power sources.

Palestine’s first-ever solar power station is aiming to produce 7.5 megawatts (MW) of electricity from its Noor Jericho Photovoltaic Solar Park location.

Work on this first phase is expected to be completed in June.

#Environment #ClimateChange #energy #renewables #Palestinians rely almost entirely on #power #imported from #Israel and the new plants are part of a long-term #project to reduce that by 50% over the next decade.https://t.co/ZP6C1VB1JB

— Galilee Foundation (@GalileeFound) May 23, 2019

There will be a total of three Palestinian solar parks: Noor Jericho, the largest; Noor Tubas solar park, much smaller with a capacity of 4 MW; and Noor Jenin project with a capacity of 5 MW.

Additionally, thousands of solar panels will be installed on the rooftops of some 500 public schools throughout Palestine to generate another 35 MW.

The Ministry of Education gave permission to use the rooftops of the public schools for solar panels due to a shortage of open land, resulting from Israeli military control of two-thirds of Palestinian land in the West Bank’s Area C.

Palestine open solar plant to be more independent https://t.co/auomLiAldq #Business https://t.co/eQQT8822Zi #Palestine #open #solar #plant #to #be #more #independent # 964

— POST Online Media (@poandpo) May 22, 2019

Israel prevents Palestine from carrying out construction or benefiting from the land in that region.

The Noor Jericho plant will produce power from 20,000 solar panels that will be set up in two stations – one with 4000 panels and the other with 3500 panels – and be distributed by the Jerusalem-based Palestinian electricity company, Jerusalem District Electricity Company (JDECO), which provides power to Jerusalem, Ramallah, Bethlehem and Jericho and their area villages and towns.

WOW!!….thank you China!!.
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Free Palestine!!! https://t.co/voPJmfGk7r

— Pete (@PeteLawson5) May 24, 2019

When all phases of the project are completed, estimated in eight years, it should produce 200 MW of electricity in total or the equivalent to 17% of Palestine’s power needs, according to Palestine Investment Fund (PIF) Chairman of the Board, Mohammad Mustafa.

One of the four plants will be donated by China.

(TeleSur, PC, Social Media)