Waste-to-Energy On 28 April, the Palestinian government signed an agreement with a special-purpose entity to generate energy from the waste in the Zahrat al-Finjan landfill located in the south of the Jenin Governorate. The project serves dual functions as both an investment in electricity generation from alternative energy sources and a waste treatment plant to address the environmental and health hazards posed by the landfill. Zahrat al-Finjan is the largest operational landfill in Palestine, established in 2007 with over 240,000 m2 of land and a total capacity of 2.25 million cubic meters.23 Around 1200 tons of solid waste are transferred to Zahrat al-Finjan landfill on a daily basis, about 38% of the total daily solid waste generated in the West Bank. Solar in Gaza Two solar power plants will be built in Gaza with funding of €16m from the German Government.24 An agreement was signed on 20 April to build the two plants, which will have a total capacity of 18 megawatts and be located in Rafah and Sudania. The plants are strategically positioned to maximize the benefits to Gazans, with the Rafah plant serving as the first in the Rafah area, and the Sudania plant designed to supply energy to the water desalination plant.Electricity transmission infrastructure While many of the renewable energy projects in Palestine have sought to increase electricity production, the World Bank is investing in electricity transfer infrastructure to improve electricity transmission. On 11 April, a $23.5 million grant was approved to fund the second phase of the World Bank’s eight-year multiphase “Advancing Sustainability in Performance, Infrastructure, and Reliability of Energy Sector (ASPIRE)” programme.25 The second phase of the programme will upgrade the quality of existing transmission lines and build new lines, as well as supply smart meters to electricity distribution companies to improve the metering and billing process.  (ICE AMMAN)

Fonte notizia: PALESTINE ECONOMIC NEWS