New solar energy field will increase Israel's renewable energy output and diversify the country's energy production

Eilat, Israel (September 8, 2014) – The Eilat-Eilot Renewable Energy Initiative, the leading body in the field of renewable energy development in Israel, today announced that a tender will be issued to set up and operate the Timna Solar Park, a new 50 Megawatt PV Tracker solar energy field in southern Israel.

The new Timna Solar Park will be located on a 1000 dunam (247 acre) plot of land adjacent to the site of the former Timna Mines, which is approximately 28 km (18 miles) north of Eilat. The tender will be open to only PV Tracker solar systems and the cost of the bid will cover only the acquisition of the land. The tariff per installed kilowatt has already been determined by the government of Israel according to regulations established in 2012 for solar energy harvested by PV systems. The allocation of the land and project have already been approved by the Israeli Land Authority.

The tender to build and operate the Timna Solar Park is scheduled to be published on October 19. The tender is open to qualified bidders worldwide, while the Timna Industrial Zone, where the Timna Solar Park will be located, will be managed by the Eilat-Eilot Renewable Energy Initiative. Detailed maps of the area and a completed environmental impact report will be provided to qualified bidders as part of the bid process. Each bidder will be required to submit a detailed plan of its proposed technology and systems to the Israeli National Planning Committee for approval.

"We are very proud to announce this tender for the Timna Solar Park and significantly expand the amount of solar energy produced in the Arava and Eilat regions, which currently stands at 65 megawatts," explained Dorit Davidovich-Banet, CEO of The Eilat-Eilot Renewable Energy Initiative and Chairperson of the Eilat-Eilot Green Energy Conference "The new Timna Solar Park offers bidders and their investors an attractive opportunity to build a profitable solar energy field supported excellent infrastructure and a dynamic renewable energy ecosystem."

"The Timna Solar Park will substantially increase Israel's renewable energy production and will play an important role in diversifying the country's energy mix," said Eitan Parnass, Director General of the Green Energy Association of Israel. "This project also holds the potential to serve as the basis for international cooperation throughout the region with connectivity and supply of solar energy to the national grids of neighboring countries."

At the Eilat-Eilot Green Energy Conference, there will be a special conference session dedicated to discussing the project details and bidding process for the Timna Solar Park. This conference session is scheduled for 1pm on December 9. The following day at 8am on December 10, bidders will be taken on a tour of the Timna Solar Park site.

Potential bidders are invited to request additional information by sending an email to info@eilateilot.org.

The Eilat-Eilot Green Energy Conference will take place at the Herods and Dan Hotels in Eilat on December 7-9. Registration information for the conference is available at www.eilatenergy.org/registration.

About The Eilat-Eilot Renewable Energy Initiative
The Eilat-Eilot Renewable Energy Initiative was established with the mission to develop the field of sustainable energy in Israel, while simultaneously leveraging the southern Arava and Eilat regions to create jobs, establish research facilities, produce clean energy and develop training and academic programs. The Eilat-Eilot Renewable Energy Initiative has created a world class technology center for developing innovative and viable renewable energy technologies, which is partially supported by the Office of the Chief Scientist of Israel. The organization also organizes an annual international youth competition for renewable energy innovation and an international conference on renewable energy, which both attract participants from all over the world. For more information, please visit www.renewable-energy-eilat.org.

About Eilat-Eilot Green Energy Conference
The Eilat-Eilot Green Energy International Conference and Exhibition is among the world's leading platforms for presenting technological innovation, business opportunities, policies and implementation in the renewable energy field.  The conference brings together thousands of participants from around the world. During the conference, engaging meetings will take place that lead to tangible results in the field. For more information on the conference, please visit www.eilatenergy.org.