A sense of movement is palpable in Colmobil Energy’s offices. What began as a complementary activity to the automotive world is gradually turning into a broader strategy aimed at the center of the electricity market. Behind it is a rapid global shift in which energy is no longer only an environmental issue but a core component of national security. We spoke with Aviv Peffer, CEO of Colmobil Energy, and Tehila Bar Or, the company’s vice president of business development, about the tectonic changes in the energy sector.
“This is no longer a theoretical concept,” they said. “Energy security is the foundation of a country’s stability.” This view, which has strengthened especially over the past year, is also changing how companies operate in the market. In the past, projects focused on a single technology, mainly solar. Today the picture is more complex. “Storage is not a nice-to-have, it is a must,” they said, emphasizing a shift toward combining sources: solar, natural gas and later also wind, alongside smart electricity management.
The transformation is not taking place only in Israel. According to them, this is a global process in which the electricity market is changing rapidly, in part due to a dramatic rise in demand. “It is more dramatic than one can imagine… this is something that is already happening here and now,” they said, pointing in part to the development of AI and data centers. “A standard data center consumes as much electricity as an entire city the size of Tel Aviv.”
Within this reality, Colmobil Energy is trying to reposition itself. “The change we are making is to become an electricity producer, to hold assets,” they said, reflecting an understanding that growing demand and the need for energy security are creating new opportunities.
The strategy focuses not only on production but also on management and trading. “It matters less which panel or which turbine you use, what matters is the data behind electricity trading,” they noted, referring to the importance of timing in production, storage and sales.
Alongside immediate projects, the company is also looking further ahead, both at the business level and the national level. “There is great importance in carrying out the solar revolution here,” they said, alongside an ambition to turn Israel into a more significant player in the field. They concluded, “In the end, it is rewarding to wake up in the morning and know you are in an industry that does good for the world.”