Energy and Water Minister Uzi Landau took the clean energy route on his way to
this year’s Eilat-Eilot International Renewable Energy Conference, hopping in a
Better Place Renault Fluence from Ra’anana to Israel’s southernmost
tip.
“It was an extraordinary journey by the way,” Landau said during his
speech opening the conference on Tuesday.
On the way, Landau inaugurated
Israel’s first ever public electric vehicle charging station, in Mitzpe Ramon,
which will now add to the Better Place electric vehicle infrastructure in place
all over the country.
During last year’s Eilat-Eilot conference, Landau
had promised that this year he would drive down in an electric vehicle, and he
made due on said promise.
“We will see that the market for electric cars
will be open to everyone, will be competitive and will put the consumer at the
center,” Landau said in a statement, following his trip.
“We will promote
all technologies from all manufacturers – we want to see Israel filled with
electric vehicles of every type from every company.”
In addition to his
drive through Israel in the Better Place car, Landau also tested out a Dor
Energy Skoda Octavia with an M15 methanol fuel mix, which he said made the air
much cleaner.
Electric vehicles and alternative fuel vehicles are crucial
in ways beyond environmental protection, as fueling at a gas station provides
between 20 and 30 percent of terrorist funding, he added in the
statement.
“We want to see the diminution of our dependence on other
countries,” he said during his opening conference speech.
Turning to
electric and hybrid vehicle use, as well as to renewable energy deployment at
large, will help create a more independent Israel with less reliance on
terrorist regimes, he added.
“An inseparable part of our resilience is
the energetic security with which we deal here today,” Landau said. “The Zionist
answer to terrorism is — we are going to strengthen the State of Israel,
strengthen energy security with another green rooftop, another solar field.”
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