Think of Israel and solar energy and you will probably think of the ubiquitous roof-mounted domestic solar water heater or high temperature solar thermal power plants like the multi-megawatt SEGS plants in Kramer junction, California which use Israeli concentrating trough technology. But lately Israeli interest in PV has been gathering momentum.

Israel has a strong tradition of solar research at academic institutions like the Weizmann Institute of Science and the Ben Gurion University of Negev. However, it is perhaps surprising to learn that Israel currently has some 50 teams actively researching photovoltaics, many in cooperation with other leading teams from around the world. As well as the academic activity, there are around ten Israeli firms trading in PV, mainly adding value to imported modules. System integration and control systems in particular, are areas of expertise.

The home market for PV systems has been rather limited to date, largely because access to the well-established national electricity grid means most practical applications for PV are not cost-effective in the current economic climate. As a result, competition among PV companies has been aggressive. Nevertheless, a 1995 government survey recorded some 160 kWp of PV installed throughout the country. A large proportion is for lighting purposes, and village electrification, in locations remote from the grid where PV is the most economic power supply option.

So far, very few grid-connected systems have been installed, despite possible government support of 30% for grid-connected demonstration projects. But there are a growing number of plans for larger-scale grid-connected projects, including a 200 kWp system for a Kibbutz in the Negeve Desert and a 50 kWp system on a commercial building for high-tech industries in Beer Sheva.

Add to this the growing export market and the potential role for PV in cooperative electrification projects with neighbouring countries in the framework of peace, and it is perhaps not surprising that new parties, including the Israeli Aircraft Industry and Chromagen - a leading manufacturer of domestic solar water heaters - are manoeuvring to enter the PV market.

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