First biomass-based steam production facility in Israel
Kibbutz Galam factory inaugurates new facility which uses woodchips from tree trimmings, instead of fossil fuel, to generate steam for industrial use. Environmentally-friendly plant also 25 percent cheaper
The Galam production plant in Kibbutz Maanit (near Pardes Hana) recently opened a facility to generate steam for industrial use by the burning of wood chips from tree trimmings (biomass). The facility, founded by GNRY Ltd. at a cost of USD 7 million, is the first of its kind in Israel.
The new, environmentally friendly facility is replacing a system of steam boilers that operate on fossil fuels, which emit carbon monoxide and greenhouse gases. It also produces steam at 25 percent lower costs.
Municipalities and forests in Israel generate excess tree trimmings that, up until now, have had no use and constituted an unsolved problem of biological waste.
The facility in Galam - which is expected to use 25,000 tons of woodchips per year – serves as a breakthrough solution to the problem with additional significant environmental ramifications.
During the facility's inauguration ceremony, Minister of Environmental Protection Gideon Ezra said that "the state of Israel has far to go to reach a progressive policy on recycling. This facility constitutes a shining example of 'green business' and I call on other entrepreneurs to take part in 'green initiatives', for all of our sakes."
More contracts anticipated
GRNY Ltd., a company specializing in green energy projects, built the facility using the BOT method (build, operate, transfer). The facility was manufactured in the US by Hurest Boilers Ltd. and assembled in Israel by a local team trained by the American company.
The facility was built to meet rigorous environmental standards, including regulations by Israel's Ministry of Environmental Protection.
According to GNRY CEO Dan Schneid, in upcoming months, the company is anticipated to sign contracts for two more such facilities in northern and central Israel.
GNRY has been active in engineering projects for five years, but only began dealing with green energy projects a year and a half ago.
At that time, it received an exclusive permit from the American manufacturer of vats in Israel and central Europe, which deals with a variety of energy-related products, including those running on gas, crude oil and, of course, biomass.
