In a conference at Tel Aviv University, in the presence of the President of the State of Israel Mr. Shimon Peres and Former US Vice President, Mr. Al Gore, Minister Ben-Eliezer said that in the coming decade, The State of Israel will considerably reduce  its dependence on fossil fuels such as coal and oil.

Below are the main points of the Minister of National Infrastructures, Mr. Binyamin (Fouad) Ben-Eliezer at the Renewable Energy and Beyond Conference at Tel Aviv University:

I'm very pleased to see you all here at this inspiring event that places this important issue at the center of our thoughts.

Mr. Gore convinced us all that we all live in "a disturbing truth". We must change our attitude to energy, if we want to preserve our planet and our civilization. Mr. Gore has definitely inspired the whole world and Israel in particular.

Unfortunately, in the year 2030, 80% of the world's energy consumption will still be based on fossil fuels. We all need to start and think differently and I am happy to say that we are starting to be on the right track.

Renewable energy offers humanity a chance to exist longer and live better by reducing carbon emissions, cleaning the air, and putting our civilization on a more sustainable footing.

Moreover, it also enables countries world wide to improve their energy security, an issue with which we deal on a daily basis.

In my capacity as the minister in charge of energy matters, I state here clearly, that the State of Israel is committed to developing an efficient and sustainable energy generation system, using more and more renewable energies. More than 65 countries have goals for their own renewable energy future – Israel is one of them.

I have committed to increase the scope of alternative and renewable energies to be used in Israel, to levels almost double that which has been decided so far, namely  15% to 20% by 2020.

Three tenders for the construction of three solar energy power plants in the Negev have already been issued.

In his speech in 1955, on the significance of the Negev, Israel's first prime minister, David Ben Gurion stated that "the people of Israel will be tested in the Negev, since only a concerted effort of a pioneering nation, constructing and building its state, can overcome challenges like making the desert flourish and populating it. Here in the Negev, the creativity and pioneering spirit of our people will be put to the test, and this will be a crucial test".

The Honorable ninth president of Israel, sitting here beside me, had stated in his swearing in ceremony in the Knesset last year, that the Negev is one of our future national priority regions. President Peres stated: "The Negev has awakened and it shall not be asleep again. We will fight the wilderness as we have fought the hatred from outside. The Negev will enable us to use solar energy to create clean energy for Israel".

I have a vision:

In the next two decades Israel will become almost fully energy independent.

I intend to adopt a new plan with the aim of initiating each year, for the next 20 years, the construction of a new solar power station.

This my friends, will be our first step towards Israel's becoming much more energy independent

We intend to install around 300 megawatts of wind power stations by 2011, so we will reach half of the government's goal mentioned above, by that time.

But even all that, my friends, is not enough to reassure me.

I intend to introduce a government resolution to announce the entire Negev desert and southern Israel as a national priority region for renewable energy. Only then will we  attain the desired rates of  renewable and alternative energy.

In 2007 the sum of over 100 billion dollars was invested worldwide in renewable energy. Unfortunately, almost nothing was invested in Israel, and I intend to change this situation without delay

Israel is committed to becoming a center of excellence in the field of sustainable energy. If we succeeded in high-tech and in Information Technology, there is no reason we should not do the same in renewable and alternative energies.

By doing so, the State of Israel will participate in meeting the global challenge of creating a sustainable world.

Within a decade, anyone flying over the Negev, will witness a mosaic of solar stations supplying up to 35% of the electricity generated in Israel.

As my closing remarks, I thank you once again for having allowed me to address this very important forum, and to share my thoughts with you.