"It cannot be that 70% of Israel's energy depends on three points in the sea that can be disabled"
Israel Ziv, Chairman of Tmanat Energy, stated that the electricity sector's dependence on three offshore gas rigs poses a severe security risk, urging for energy decentralization as a national priority.
"It cannot be that 70% of Israel's energy depends on three points in the sea that can be disabled," said Israel Ziv, Chairman of Tmanat Energy, in an interview with Neta-Lee Binstock at the Calcalist and Discount Energy Conference.
According to him, the electricity sector's dependence on three gas rigs in the sea poses a severe security risk, and energy decentralization must be placed at the top of the national priority list. Ziv warns against the vulnerability of the local electricity sector and calls for a fundamental change in the perception of the country's energy resource management. The sector cannot continue to rely primarily on three drilling points in the sea, which are a vulnerable strategic target during a military conflict, but must dramatically accelerate the transition to green and decentralized energy across the country.
Ziv clarified that geopolitical challenges require decision-makers to define the energy sector as a vital component of national security. He claims that current government targets do not provide a response to security and regional threats, and bureaucratic barriers hindering new solar projects must be removed immediately.
Energy security in a volatile market
Addressing the current situation, Ziv noted: "I tend to estimate that the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, and as a result the energy crisis, is not close to ending. What is happening in Iran is a kind of Lebanonization. The Revolutionary Guards have taken over Iran, and there is no leadership there that cares about national responsibility. The world has changed its status from an orderly world to an unorderly world, with a sequence of events that each undermines stability once again."
Regarding the management of energy companies in an uncertain security reality, he stated: "A country that needs redundancy to maintain its security stability cannot rely on the existing energy sources. It cannot be that over 70% of all our energy depends on three points in the sea that can be disabled. This is not only about Israel's stability, but also regional stability. Jordan and Egypt depend on us, and therefore the matter of energy in its priority list should generally be at a national level above a ministerial one."
Targets and market development
Ziv criticized current government targets: "How can it be that our energy targets are the same as ten years ago? Israel needs to move to at least 50% renewable energy in the next decade. This is pure national security. We need to release all the barriers and move to decentralized energy."
On the regional impact, he added: "Israel needs to fix its regional stability after the last war, and the way to do that is through energy. Jordan, Syria, Egypt, and Lebanon are at a huge disadvantage. Let's start dealing with the Lebanese government to deal with Hezbollah by providing them with energy. It is a huge resource."
Regarding practical steps, he said: "Open this market, set the targets, run them. Not a government that blocks, but a government that pushes and opens. My company, together with Doral, has one of the most significant projects in the field of agro-solar. Why do we have to wait a year and a half for a land affinity letter? It should have been given within 20 days so that we could supply a gigawatt to the system."
Regarding Tmanat Energy's plans, Ziv stated: "We are making preparations for an IPO. We have good partners — Doral, Colmobil, and others. We intend to go to the market when we are ready, and we are currently conducting many internal processes under the leadership of our young CEO."
