This paper consists of an update of global trends in the renewable energy sector. Our aim is to map the business opportunities, identify the barriers and promote solutions by supporting policy tools and other industry related approaches.
After the global economic crisis in 2008-2009 the renewable industry experience growth, both in R&D and in installations.
Most of the expected absolute increase in renewable energy use occurs in developing countries that increase their total energy produced and the percentage of renewable energy implemented.
Therefore international collaborations and understanding emerging markets should account as an important business target for the Israeli renewable energy industry.
Global gas revolution is a Game Changer directly affecting the renewable energy market since reducing fossil fuel costs coupled with decline in photovoltaic arrays infrastructure prices, gives an advantage to PV over thermo-solar generation.
Renewable energy has unique characteristics of decentralization and interior lack of stability. The growth in electricity from renewable sources in the net forces the development of innovative solutions of net-integration, smart grid and energy storage.
Israel’s advantage in ICT industries, software, information management and semiconductor creates a unique opportunity to penetrate these markets through the development of solutions that meet the challenges posed by the renewable energy sector in these aspects.
Israel has competitive advantage in energy efficiency due to vast experience and proven reputation in the fields of water savings, which can be leveraged in this context.
Another Israeli advantage is the experience gained in the defense industries, capable of developing military applications of renewable energy and performing proof of concept within military use, followed by exports to foreign armies, as well as spinning-off innovative technologies for civilian market use. Moreover, Israel has developed innovative eco-system of venture capital that is a hothouse for the establishment and development of top-tier international companies, based on experience in real-time military and civilian applications.
