David Wanetick, Managing Director of The Wall Street Transcript, said “Israel is becoming a world leader in water management. Due to its population and industrial growth, scarcity and threats of having its water supply disrupted by Syria and Lebanon, Israel has been forced to become resourceful in its management of water.”
Interesting facts about Israel’s water management include:
- Ashkelon, Israel is home to the world’s largest operating desalination facility.
- Despite its tiny geography, Israel’s climate is representative of half the world’s climates.
- Israel has 31 desalination facilities and 1,200 wells. Israel recycles 75% of its water. The second largest water recycler is Spain, with 12% recycling. Israel’s Water Commission anticipates that Israel will desalinate 20% of its water consumption by 2010.
- Israeli venture capitalists are becoming more active in investing in water-related technologies. For instance, the Millennium Materials Technologies Fund is reported to have allocated at least $20 million to the water sector. Also, Kinarot – The Jordan Valley Technological Incubator, which is active in water investments, is being privatized.
Mr. Wanetick continued, “We are pleased to have interviewed Mr. Gustavo Kronenberg, General Manager and CEO of VID Desalination Company Ltd., the concessionaire of the 100mcm/year BOT seawater desalination project in Ashkelon-Israel. A great deal of progress in reducing the cost of desalination has already been achieved: Ten years ago, desalination cost $1.10 per cubic meter. It now costs $0.60, and growing demand and advances in technology will continue to drive costs lower.”
“China alone will propel tremendous demand for desalination: China’s goal is to produce 5.5 billion cubic meters of desalinated water a year, 55 times the capacity of the Ashkelon facility. China is expected to invest $18.6 billion a year in water desalination by 2020,” according to Mr. Wanetick.
Our interview with Mr. Gustavo Kronenberg will be made available free of charge to registrants for our Profiting in the Water Industry Conference which will take place in New York City on June 8. This interview can be purchased for $25 by contacting Naomi Barazani at neomi@incremendtaladvantage.com or 609-919-1895 x100.
About this Conference:
This conference is being chaired by IncreMental Advantage.
This conference is heralded as being the largest and best-attended event that focuses on strategies for investing in the water industry. Speakers include leading research analysts from Janney Montgomery Scott and Stanford Washington Research Group; senior executives from publicly-traded water utilities such as California Water Service, Consolidated Water, Southwest Water Company, San Jose Water Company, Artesian Resources, Pennichuck Corporation, American States Water Company, The York Water Company, and Pure Cycle Corporation. Other experts from the water industry scheduled to speak hail from the California State Water Resources Control Board, the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority, the New Jersey Environment Infrastructure Trust, and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Further information about our upcoming Water Industry Conference on June 6, 2007 in New York City, please contact Neomi at neomi@incrementaladvantage.com or 609-919-1895 x100.
Comments