Plundering the Sun: the Israeli Solar Energy Industry and Palestinian Forced Displacement
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Flash Report PLUNDERING THE SUN: THE ISRAELI SOLAR ENERGY INDUSTRY AND PALESTINIAN FORCED DISPLACEMENT MAY 2018 Methodology 2 Introduction 2 “Going Green” Israeli Style 3 Systematic Un-electrification and Dispossession 8 The Naqab: Industrialization and Impoverishment 9 Area C: Land Grab and Displacement 14 Profiteering from Forced Displacement 19 Conclusion 24 Appendix I: Solar Edge Response 25 Appendix II: PADCON Response 25 Appendix III: ABB Group Response 26 Appendix IV: Arava Power 26 Appendix V: Response from the Israeli Civil Administration to Who Profits’ Freedom of Information Request 27 Appendix VI: The Company for the Development of Mount Hebron Corporate Profile 27 Appendix VII: Arava Power Company Corporate Profile 28 Appendix VIII: Shikun Binuy Energy Corporate Profile 28 Appendix VIIII: EDF Energies Nouvelles Corporate Profile 29 Methodology versible ecological damage caused by using limited natural resources (oil and gas) for its This report is based on both desk and field re- production. This awareness has raised inter- search, as well as research conducted for the est in generating electricity from renewable in depth report “Greenwashing the Israeli Oc- and non-polluting sources, also known as cupation: The Solar Energy Industry and the green energy.1 Israel follows this trend and Israeli Occupation” and the flash report “Gre- plans to generate 10% of its energy from so- enwashing the Naqab: The Israeli Industry lar power by 2020, backed by domestic and of Solar Energy” published by Who Profits in international corporations. February 2017. Desk research includes collec- tion and analysis of information from various For this endeavor, Israel uses swaths of land public sources, such as company records and in the Naqab (Negev) desert in southern Isra- publications, public tenders, documents of el and in Area C of the occupied West Bank. the Israeli Registrar of Companies of the Min- Israel’s complete control over these two ar- istry of Justice, newspapers and other media eas, with their vast lands, intense sunlight sources, archives of photography agencies and scarce population, renders them ideal for and publications by various state authorities the Israeli solar project. However, in the Pal- (including Israeli government ministries). The estinian context, even access to the sun has field research consisted of visits to commer- become political and carries extensive impli- cial solar fields generating solar energy in cations for Palestinian communities on both Area C. Prior to publication, Who Profits con- sides of the Green Line. tacted all the companies mentioned in this report and requested their comments and Palestinian communities living in these -re responses. Newly identified companies, as source-rich areas bear the brunt of Israel’s well as, companies included in the previous brutal militaristic and discriminatory and eco- reports were contacted in 2017. Who Profits nomic marginalization policies. The majority received only four responses from all com- of their Palestinian residents are deliberately panies identified: SolarEdge, an Israeli-based left with no connection to the national Israeli multinational company, on 1 September electricity grid – the only electricity grid cov- 2016; PADCON, a German-based company, on ering both Israel and the occupied Palestinian 10 October 2016; ABB Group, a publicly traded territory (oPt). Swedish-Swiss multinational corporation, on 30 November 2017; and on February 2018, In this flash report, we look at how the fruits Arava Power, a private Israeli company, also of Israel’s flourishing green industry are not sent a written response to Who Profits. The only denied to Palestinian communities in full statements of all companies can be found the occupied West Bank and Palestinians in appendix I, appendix II, appendix III and ap- living in unrecognized villages in the Naqab, pendix VI (respectively). but they are gained at their expense, lead- ing to further dispossession and land an- Introduction nexation and contributing to their impover- The global demand for electricity is constant- 1 International Energy Agency,Technology ly rising, and with it – awareness of the irre- Roadmap: Solar Photovoltaic Energy , 2014, p. 9. 2 | The Israeli Solar Eneregy Industry and Palestinian Forced Displacement ishment and forced displacement. specific policies incentivizing investment for commercial and residential solar fields in The report provides further evidence to sup- both the Naqab and Area C. In both places, port the assertion made by Natalie Grove, communities are deliberately marginalized a representative of the Office of the United and un-electrified, contributing to the co- Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights ercive environment that leads to forced dis- (OHCHR), that the Israeli policies in Area C placement. In section 4, concerning system- create a “highly coercive environment that atic un-electrification and dispossession, the forces [Palestinians] to leave.”2 These policies report will demonstrate that while the overall ultimately seek to clear the land of its people strategy of marginalization and displacement and further entrench the settlement enter- is common in both areas, it is implemented prise in the occupied West Bank.3 For Pales- using different mechanisms. tinians living in unrecognized villages, the dis- placement from their ancestral land to make Finally, the report reveals Israeli and interna- way for Jewish-only towns, commercial cen- tional corporate agents who support Israel’s ters and military facilities is an official state political objectives, in violation of interna- policy.4 tional law, whilst reaping immense financial gain. We will note the entry of four additional Faced with no alternative and despite the international corporations – ABB Group, SMA considerable risk, some communities try to Solar Technology, PGR Drive Technologies and install solar panels to provide basic electric- Ja Solar Holdings – since Who Profits’ previ- ity needs. In contrast to Israeli solar panel ous reports on this area. Who Profits docu- fields, armed with the latest technologies mented the involvement of 18 Israeli and and lavishly funded by the government and international corporations in selected solar private companies, the Palestinian off-grid, fields. In Area C, Who Profits documented the community solar panels are small and often commercial involvement of seven Israeli and sponsored by international and local donors. eight international companies. In the Naqab, However, their modest size and crucial role in where the Israeli solar energy industry was sustaining life has not stopped Israeli authori- first launched, Who Profits examined some of ties from confiscating and demolishing them. the biggest solar fields and documented the involvement of four Israeli and four interna- In this flash report, we will first outline Isra- tional companies. This flash report will also el’s booming solar energy industry, which is demonstrate the involvement of two interna- supported by state policies and financial in- tional corporations, Volvo Group and Fassi, in centives for corporations. We will review the confiscation of Palestinian solar panels in- stalled with the aid and financing of non-gov- 2 Tovah Lazaroff, “UN: Israeli Policies Forc- ernmental organizations. ing Palestinian to Leave Area C of the West Bank,” Jerusalem Post, 27 July 2016. 3 B’Tselem, Acting the Landlord: Israel’s “Going Green” Israeli Style Policy in Area C, the West Bank, June 2013. 4 Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Mi- Israel’s determination to develop its renew- nority Rights in Israel, Position Paper on Prawer II, able energy sector was described by Prime January 2017. Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “a national 3 | The Israeli Solar Eneregy Industry and Palestinian Forced Displacement goal of the highest importance because the IEA, photovoltaic systems – energy systems addiction to oil has led to the Western world that rely on solar panels to generate electrici- to being dependent on the oil-producing ty – were expected to generate approximate- countries and harms the standing and securi- ly USD 450 million in electricity payments in ty of the State of Israel.”5 2016.9 The Israeli government has implemented sev- In 2016, the Israeli government passed Reso- eral policies to promote the green electricity lution No. 1403, reinforcing Israel’s commit- industry and entice international and Israeli ment to incentivize investment in green en- corporations to invest in it. In January 2009, ergy production and recommitting to grant Government Resolution No. 4450 set a target an accelerated 20% tax depreciation on solar for the generation of 5% of Israel’s electrici- systems for the first three years.10 This applies ty needs from renewable energy sources by to both private and commercial solar systems, 2014 and 10% by 2020, amounting to no less but only those connected to the national Is- than 250 megawatts (MW) per year between raeli electricity grid. 2010 and 2020.6 The resolution declared the Naqab and the Arava area, south of the Dead In March 2017, the IEA announced its inten- Sea, as “national priority areas for renewable tion to publish tenders for the generation of energy sources.”7 To reach that goal, in 2010 1,000 MW of solar electricity over the follow- the government approved a plan to invest ing two years.11 The first tender was for the USD 600 million over the next decade, par- generation of 235 MW of solar electricity. ticularly to encourage green construction and Energix,