Ministry of National Infrastructures:

The opening of the new facility will advance us to a sustainable reality

At the launching of a new Paz Company facility for sulfur retrieval in Ashdod,
Minister Ben Eliezer praised the company and described his ministry’s activities in the field of energy and the environment.

This morning, 2.09.08, National Infrastructures Minister Binyamin (Fouad) Ben Eliezer attended the opening ceremony of the new sulfur retrieval facility of Paz Ashdod Refineries in Ashdod, and gave an address.

Here are the main points of Minister Ben Eliezer’s address:

"I am delighted to be here this morning at the opening ceremony of the Ashdod Refineries’ sulfur retrieval facility. I would like to commend Paz, its managers and shareholders, on the occasion of the opening of a facility that advances us even further towards a sustainable reality.

For a long time, there has been global understanding that we must not only care about today but also about tomorrow, about our future and the future of our children. Reducing emissions is one of the most important steps to which we are committed, and I am delighted that Paz has chosen this route.

In the post-Bali era, the world has understood that we have to relate to the planet on which we live in a different way, and, as the head of the Ministry of National Infrastructures, I have made this an objective.

In contrast with the official government targets of 10% use of renewable energy by 2020, I am striving to reach an objective of 20%. I am aware that this is an ambitious target, but if one doesn't try, one will never reach the target.

We are working vigorously to advance projects in the fields of solar and wind power, and are currently promoting several tenders in these fields. We have also made a number of historic government decisions relating to energy efficiency and investment in research and development in the field of renewable energy.

In the next few days, I hope we will present for government approval an unprecedented decision, according to which the entire Negev and Arava regions will be declared national priority areas for renewable energy.

I have also set a target in accordance with which, every year for 10 years, starting in 2010, we will build a solar power station with a capacity of around 250 megawatts. Our aim is that, by 2020, we will be using 40% coal, 40% natural gas and 20% renewable energy.

Friends, the future will be based on two major production elements – nuclear and solar energy. Unfortunately, nuclear energy is still a long way off for us, for understandable reasons, so we have decided to devote our efforts to almost the only natural resource we have - sunlight.

I understand that, recently, Paz has been considering entering this market, and I would like to take this opportunity to call on the company to join the growing trend of companies that are turning towards the field of renewable energy.

I am sure that the company can find numerous synergies in the field of renewable energy, alongside its traditional activities in the energy field.

In conclusion, I would like once again to commend everyone who is active in this field, and I look forward to opening many projects of Paz, in particular, and of other companies in Israel in general, in the field of energy and the environment."