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Environmental Technologies and Alternative Energy Developed in Israel |
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| Environmental Technologies and Alternative Energy Developed in Israel
August 2002 By Avraham Israeli
Avraham Israeli is an expert in development technologies at the Israel Export Institute
E-mail: Israeli@export.gov.il
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"One generation goes, another comes, and the earth remains forever..."
(Eccles. 1:4)
Background
Highlights of Environmental Technologies
Environmental Projects Planned for Future Implementation
Background
As global environmental issues escalate, Israel stands at the forefront of the countries grappling with these issues.
Israel is a small, semi-arid country with only one freshwater lake - Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) - which serves as its national water reservoir. Despite its small size, Israel has diverse climatic regions, with a substantial amount of rain in the lush north, to almost no rain in the desert region of the south. The 'greening' of the desert was the challenge that motivated Israel to develop new ways to conserve water, and to construct the National Water Carrier, which brings water from Lake Kinneret to the southern parts of the country, enabling irrigation of large areas for crops that are exported in winter, mainly to Europe.
Population growth, rise in the standard of living and a series of drought years, were the main reasons for the shortage of water in Israel, as in the whole Middle East region. Israel is coping with this situation by the following initiatives:
Water-saving methods for irrigation. The drip irrigation system maximizes yields of many crops. It can also combine irrigation and fertilization - fertigation - with the water and nutrients fed directly to the roots of the plant, resulting in money saving and minimizing soil and ground water pollution.
Recycling and purifying municipal wastewater for irrigation. A record 70% of municipal wastewater is being reclaimed and used for agriculture.
Desalination of seawater. A plant for annual desalination of 100 million cubic meters is under construction. The project, on a B.O.T (Build, Operate, Transfer) basis, will desalinate seawater at less than 50 cents per cubic meter. A further 400 million cubic meters are designated for desalination annually, and tenders will be issued shortly.
Israeli scientists have also developed pioneering methods for environmental monitoring, protection and remediation, for recycling and waste treatment and for alternative energy. Israeli firms in these fields are becoming increasingly active in the markets of Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America, especially by providing tailor-made technologies. Israeli firms and consultants are also active as environmental experts in organizations such as the World Bank, WHO and FAO. Several Israeli companies in the defense industry have taken the lead in developing environmental technologies, such as equipment for detection of hazardous substances and for reclaiming metals and waste; this as part of the conversion process to civilian activity. Close cooperation between industry and R&D in the universities assures rapid commercial application of solutions to environmental problems. Exports are expected to exceed $500 million this year.
Over two hundred Israeli companies have developed technologies and products, to name but a few, in the following fields: biological waste/medical waste; industrial toxic waste treatment; biological treatment of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW); solar power; geothermal energy; toxin monitors for air and water; agro-ecology; water recycling, desalination and conservation; sewage treatment - engineering and upgrading of existing plants; municipal sludge treatment; prevention of industrial air pollution; and on-site compact sewage systems.
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Drip irrigation
Photo: R.Nowitz
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Highlights of Environmental Technologies
Agro-Ecology
In the past decade, the world has managed, despite the population growth, to provide sufficient food for most of its inhabitants, and almost without increasing cultivated agricultural areas - through its success in increasing crop yields. But this success was coupled with an increase in the level of chemicals, mechanization and a host of other means, which caused damage to nature, the soil, the water and the air. Such damage must be prevented in order to ensure the future of the planet on which we live. This is the meaning of sustainable development in agriculture.
Israel has joined forces with other nations to counter the damage caused to the ozone layer by methyl bromide and other materials used for fumigation and has developed non-hazardous substitutes. Solar heating, specially developed plastic sheets for the minimization of chemical use, and environment-friendly pesticides and herbicides are the result of extensive R&D and cooperation between farmers and the academia. Furthermore, biological treatment of pests and plant diseases has been developed and implemented in many agricultural branches.
Organic agriculture is a growing trend in the developed world, and Israel is one of the suppliers of organic agricultural products, grown without the use of chemicals.
Israel is also a recognized leader in R&D and advanced water-saving irrigation, like drip irrigation and fertigation, which minimize the risk of soil and ground water pollution caused by excess use of fertilizers. Furthermore, drip irrigation and particularly sub-soil drip irrigation, is the optimal method for using purified recycled water from sewage treatment plants, since the water is supplied directly to the plants' roots in the precise quantities needed, with minimal contact with the working people and no contact with the upper parts of the plants.
Another technology needed worldwide is the handling of animal waste, one of the major polluting factors in many regions. Israel is a pioneer in research and implementation in this field, offering viable solutions to the problem. This includes extracting biogas for energy by anaerobic fermentation, composting and stabilizing the residual wastes.
New technologies for pest control, to replace or minimize the use of pesticides, include biological methods, special insect traps, plastic nets and a different spectrum of light in greenhouses, achieved with special plastic sheets, which blind the insect and prevent attack of the crop.
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Solar collectors
Courtesy Chromagen Solar Energy
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Solar Energy
Conventional methods of power production are creating an environmental burden. By proliferating carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions, they are major contributors to the greenhouse effect and acid rain.
Solel (http://www.solel.com) can provide the world's electric utilities with an attractive alternative of sustainable, clean, reliable and environmentally safe energy.
Continuing technological innovations are lowering the cost of solar energy, and making it more competitive with conventional power station technologies. Currently, Solel is developing the next generation of solar collector technology and thermodynamic processes.
Solel's technology uses sunlight as its primary energy source to power a conventional steam turbine electric generator. The solar field is composed of parabolic trough solar collectors which individually track the sun using sun sensors and microprocessors. The collectors focus sunlight on specially coated steel pipes mounted inside vacuum-insulated glass tubes. The pipes contain a heat transfer fluid which is heated to approximately 300-400 degrees centigrade. The heated fluid is pumped through a series of conventional heat exchangers to generate superheated steam. The steam powers a turbine/generator to produce electricity delivered to the utility electric grid. The generated steam can also be used forcooling or air-conditioning.
To ensure uninterrupted power during peak demand periods, an auxiliary boiler or heater, fueled by natural gas, is available as a supplemental source of power. A central computer facility monitors and controls each of the hundreds of individual solar collectors in the field, as well as all the power block equipment and systems.
Today, the world's largest solar power plants, the LUZ Solar Electric Generating Systems "SEGS" type are in operation in the Mojave Desert in Southern California. These nine power plants generate 354 MW of clean electricity for approximately half a million residents in the region. They account for over 95% of the world's solar power production and 2% of Southern California Edison's grid capacity.
Chromagen (http://www.chromagen.co.il) is Israel's leading manufacturer of solar energy systems for water heating. The company specializes in the design, manufacturing and distribution of all solar energy equipment for domestic, commercial and industrial use.
The Solar Collectors are designed for high performance and excellent durability, in a wide range of applications. Suitable for all kinds of hot water systems, these collectors offer consistent results under all weather conditions.
Industrial Emission Cleaning and Control
Vortex Ltd. The "heart" of the proposed flue gas cleaning system is the Advanced Vortex Chamber. The raw flue gases enter the chamber tangentially and internal vanes located on the circumference of the chamber accelerate the internal gas flow. Due to the very high gas velocities in the chamber, the physical size of the chamber is small as compared to conventional scrubbers, a significant factor in the system's overall capital cost.
The Advanced Vortex Chamber may be operated in two modes - the dry mode and the wet mode. In the dry mode, the suspended particles are subjected to high inertia forces, which effectively separate small particles from the gas. In the wet mode, liquid is introduced into the chamber, where it is finely atomized without inserting additional atomizing energy. In this mode, gaseous species are absorbed simultaneously with removal of solid particles.
Mixture of mists with the treated gas is prevented by the unique flow pattern inside the chamber. This feature may eliminate the need to install a mist eliminator device downstream in the chamber as is usually done in conventional scrubbers. It further reduces the capital cost and the variable costs are also reduced due to reduction in pressure losses that the mist eliminator induces.
In comparison to the old de-dusting system, the AVC-based de-dusting system dramatically reduces particulate emission, simplifies the system and its maintenance and reduces the cost of the plant and its operation. The main advantages of the AVC system are: high cleaning efficiency; compact size; no escape of droplets into the atmosphere; simple operation and maintenance; high reliability; and cost effectiveness.
Lextran Ltd. (http://www.lextrantech.com) is another company active in the air pollution prevention area. This company specializes in the reduction of NOXes and SOXes in power plants.
Upgrading Existing Sewage Plants
A familiar problem the world over is the full capacity of many of the existing sewag treatment plants in numerous cities and regions. This occurs as a result of the attempt to minimize investment. After a few years a dilemma arises - whether to build a new plant or to decrease the level of purification.
Aqwise (http://www.aqwise.com) develops advanced technologies for capacity increase and nutrient removal in activated sludge processes of wastewater treatment plants. The technologies developed by Aqwise can increase the capacity of existing bioreactors by a factor of 2 to 3. Economically this means that when a plant reaches its full capacity there are two alternatives: building a new one or upgrading the existing one with AqWise's technology, which costs only a fraction of a new plant. Another advantage is that with this technology, the extra land usage is minimal, almost nil.
AqWise's technologies utilize the fixed bio-film concept, in which suspended plastic carriers serve as a moving bed. A specific flow pattern creates turbulence necessary to keep the bio-film in optimal condition.
The main benefits of utilizing AqWise's technologies are: additional BOD removal and/or lower retention time; retrofit/upgrade of existing, conventional plants; minimal construction work, less time and capital cost; stable plant operation, lower sensitivity to chock loading; omission of sludge return system; clog free operation; and addition of N and P removal.
Biological Treatment of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)
MSW is a growing problem globally. The per capita production of MSW is 1-2.5 kg, depending on the country and the standard of living. The traditional means of MSW disposal, dumping and landfilling, even the best handled landfilling, is being phased out in many countries because of the vast land use, the environmental risks and the transportation distances from the source to the landfills. Israel has developed the most advanced method for treating MSW - Biological Treatment of Unsorted MSW.
The ArrowBio (http://www.arrowecology.com) process transforms the organic fraction of the waste (in general, 37% of the total solid waste) into valuable, saleable and cash-generating products such as biogas (a mixture of methane - CH4 and CO2) and stabilized high value soil conditioning fertilizer.
The specific advantages of the ArrowBio process are: no pre-sorting of the waste (unsorted household waste can be fed into the ArrowBio treatment plant immediately after collection); a much shorter time to complete conversion of the organic phase of the waste into valuable products; automatic separation of recyclable matter such as metals, plastics and glass (these materials are removed from the waste in the initial stage, the final product - the stabilized compost - is virtually free of all foreign materials); the whole treatment process takes place in closed units and tanks and no environmental nuisance is generated; a great variety of household or industrial refuse is accommodated without changing the basic equipment and lay-out (with incoming organic fraction varying from 30% to 100%); simpler waste handling by waste collectors and treatment facility operators (there are no special requirements for containers, waste separation or double handling); the area required per ton of treated waste is minimized; and the process eases the recycling of recoverable materials.
On-sits disposal of all medical waste and biologically contaminated materials
MCM (http://www.mcm-environment.com) has developed a new high capacity method that does not release atmospheric emissions, uses mostly biodegradable disinfectants and operates on site, has been in operation in Israel and other countries for the past four years. Meeting, and exceeding all disinfection and design requirements, the system regularly received approval of the authorities in its major markets (43 countries), including the USEPA and FIFRA registration approvals for its the manufacturing process. Significant benefits and savings derive from this efficient system, safety is greatly improved, waste does not need to be stored for long periods, untreated waste does not have to be transported on public roads, waste volume is reduced by some 90% and waste disposal costs by up to 85%.
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RO desalination plant
Courtesy IDE Technologies Ltd.
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Desalination of Seawater
A first plant for annual desalination of 100 million cubic meters, now under construction, will operate by the Reverse Osmosis technology, at the lowest price ever achieved for a desalination process, less than 50 cents per cubic meter. The alternate method - Low Temperature Distillation - may prove advantageous under different conditions, especially when the plant is built beside a power plant and excess waste heat can be utilized.
IDE's (http://www.ide-tech.com) AQUAPORT Low Temperature Distillation units are available in two versions, with energy supplied either by a unique electrically driven mechanical compressor (Mechanical Vapor Compression - MVC), or by low pressure steam (Multi Effect Distillation - MED). These systems are capable of producing boiler feed water from seawater in a single step. AQUAPORT Low Temperature Distillation units operate at temperatures lower than 70oC. Low distillation temperature is the basis for a series of features, forming the core of AQUAPORT's highly economical operation.
The reduced corrosiveness of seawater at the low operating temperature and vacuum conditions permit safe and economical use of corrosion-proof plastic materials and coatings both for piping and for vessel linings, as well as the use of aluminum alloys for heat transfer tubing and vessel internals. Low maintenance and extended plant life (exceeding twenty five years) result from the combination of the low corrosion rates and the use of a mild anti-scalant.
The low temperature operation enables the desalination units to utilize low grade, low cost sources of heat, which would otherwise be lost through being released into the environment in the form of stack gases, cooling water streams or low pressure exhaust steam.
Small Scale Desalination and Water Treatment
Nirosoft (http://www.nirosoft.com) and its affiliates around the world today supply major companies in Israel and worldwide with state-of-the-art water treatment systems, tailored to specific customer needs.
Nirosoft's systems are based on the company's solid infrastructure developed over the years: updated engineering; highly skilled staff; extremely fast and flexible manufacturing systems; and professional service and trouble-shooting personnel - available worldwide.
The technologies developed at Nirosoft provide its customers with water which meets the most stringent international standards - from almost any fresh and saline water source. The company supplies a wide range of water treatment plants with industrial applications, drinking water production and irrigation purposes.
Industrial applications: high pressure boilers feed; gas turbine feed; power stations; pharmaceutical use as per International Standards (WFI, USP XXIII, BP, etc.); Micro-Electronics (18 MegaOhm); demineralization for industrial processes; alternative to water softening; and water for dialysis.
Drinking water and irrigation: seawater desalination plants for drinking water purposes; brackish water desalination plants for drinking water purposes; water purification from lakes, rivers, lagoons, wells and unsafe sources; and iron and manganese removal plant filtration.
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Courtesy BERMAD Control Valves
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Automatic Valves
Bermad (http://www.bermad.com) founded in 1965, is a leading manufacturer of water and other fluid control and management systems. Cutting edge technology is one of the reasons Bermad has retained its reputation for excellence over the past 30 years.
The company develops, manufactures and markets a wide range of fluid control and management products, including: automatic control valves; water meters; automatic metering valves; hydrometers; multi-function valves; solenoid valves; and air valves.
Bermad's products are used in fluid control and management systems in a wide variety of applications, including: municipal waterworks; high-rise buildings; industrial systems; irrigation systems in agriculture; horticulture; turf (golf courses); home gardening; cooling systems; fire protection systems; and petroleum systems.
Geothermal Power Plants
ORMAT (http://www.ormat.com) is a world leader in the development of state-of-the-art, environmentally sound geothermal power plants matched to locally available resources.
The company's plants deliver clean, reliable, cost-effective and sustainable electricity to power grids on five continents, from Iceland to New Zealand, from California to the Philippines, and from Hawaii to Thailand. ORMAT commercial-scale geothermal plants have been built in areas that would otherwise have had to depend on expensive oil imports and environmentally hazardous fossil fuels.
Prudent resource management is the key to the success of any geothermal power project. ORMAT geothermal binary cycle and combined cycle modular power plants are flexible, adaptable, and efficiently matched to the available geothermal resources, which may encompass: high enthalpy, high-pressure steam fields; low-enthalpy, water-dominated sources; and resources with temperatures and chemistries that vary over time.
ORMAT geothermal combined cycle steam/binary plants have logged over 14 million turbine hours of operation at very high levels of availability. The geothermal power plants produce energy that is clean and green, with low noise, a low visual profile, and nearly 100% fluid injection for minimal impact on the environment.
Environmental Projects Planned for Future Implementation
Solid Waste: Recycling projects for an additional 20% of the annual volume of municipal solid waste to achieve a 40% recycling average. The total volume is currently 5,000,000 tons, which means recycling of an additional 1,000,000 tons. The desired solutions include Waste to Energy Incinerations and/or Biological Treatment, Pyrolysis, Plasma, Gasification etc.
Implementation of the Law of Deposit: This law, which includes all plastic and metal liquid packaging under 1.5 liters, today deals with 600 million bottles and cans. In the near future, when the 1.5-liter bottles will be included in the law, 400 million more bottles will be added. There is a need for recycling factories for P.E.T. bottles, as well as for other plastic polymers.
Operation of the national landfill in the Rotem Plain: The tender for planning and building of the landfill has been prepared. There is need for an operating company with the necessary knowledge and experience, for a long-term contract.
Rehabilitation of old waste dumps: There are many old waste dumps that need to be rehabilitated. The largest one is Hiriya in the Tel Aviv area, with about 30 million tons of solid waste. This project includes collection of the biogas, extracting the energy, and developing the site as a park.
Rehabilitation of rivers: The Ministry of the Environment plans to invest about 10 million Euro in rehabilitating polluted rivers in the coming year. Companies with the necessary experience and technologies are invited to offer their services.
Desalination of seawater: The total amount of water which Israel plans to desalinate in the coming years is 400 million cubic meters. So far, a plant for 100 million cubic meters is under construction; and tenders are in the preparation stage and will be published soon.
Treatment and use of brine (from inland brackish water desalination projects): Some of these will not be located near the sea and will desalinate brackish water. A solution is being sought for the brine.
Wastewater sludge treatment projects: The current sewage plants produce about 100,000 ton/year of sludge countywide. The Dan Region Wastewater Treatment Plant, Shafdan, is responsible for 50,000 tons (on a dry material basis). The treatment should transform the sludge to grade A, for unlimited agricultural use.
Upgrading sewage treatment: The Government is encouraging projects for upgrading the treatment - from secondary, to unlimited agricultural use of the water. |
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