This week, the first solar thermal plant for warm water and central heating on Palestinian territory has gone into operation. The solar plant was built by MAN Ferrostaal AG and the Deutsche Energie-Agentur GmbH (dena) within the framework of the "dena Solar Roofs Programme for Foreign Market Development."

The facility has a total collector surface of more than 200 square metres and was a donation made by MAN Ferrostaal to a Palestinian school. Utility costs of close to €80,000 per year had put a large burden on the budget of the institution, which relies on financial contributions.

About 21,000 litres of diesel fuel per year are about to be saved. Aside from the immediate support for the school, the project underlines the industrial potentials for solar energy generation in the whole MENA region, the company said.

The project is being supported by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi).

Reprinted with permission from RenewableEnergyWorld