Ramallah, June, 1, 2016. ARIJ held a workshop to create a Renewable Energy Working Group in Palestine, as part of the project activities entitled “Improving the capacities of local authorities to develop and implement sustainable energy efficiency practices and renewable demonstration actions”. The project is funded by the European Union through SUDEP regional program (Supporting the Southern Neighbourhood Partnership cities in the implementation of Sustainable Urban Demonstration Energy Projects).
Eng. Nader Hrimat, Deputy Director General of ARIJ, started the workshop through welcoming the participants, and indicating the importance of this project in improving the renewable energy sector in Palestine, and in creating a network among different stakeholders that are working the field of renewable energy in Palestine. Afterwards, Eng. Mohammad Qaraqe’ from ARIJ gave a presentation about the project activities particularly developing and installing net-metering photovoltaic systems for main service building of Tubas municipality to promote energy savings in Municipality main buildings electricity bills. Then Eng. Basel Yaseen from the Home Palestinian Energy and Natural Resources Authority gave a detailed presentation about the renewable energy law in Palestine, its main regulations and advantages for all stakeholders in increasing the renewable energy production.
Later Eng. Nader Hrimat talked about the objective for creating a Renewable Energy Working Group from all related stakeholders in order to unify efforts and to use the available human and financial resources and expertise in a sustainable manner the participants have discussed the proposed working group responsibilities. The workshop included a discussion, where the participants have approved the importance of formulating such working group, and they discussed the mechanisms and tools to guarantee its functionality and sustainability and to have periodical meetings. The workshop was attended by representatives of Palestinian Energy and Natural Resources Authority, Ministry of Local Government, Palestinian Electricity Companies, Representative Office of the Czech Representative office in Ramallah, World vision, In addition to representative of the private sector. The membership of the created working group will be expanding through inviting additional interested and relevant stakeholders to attend the upcoming meetings. The participants agreed to work together for the success and the sustainability of this working group.
