The 4th Ambassador’s Round Table on Renewable Technology gathered over 50 scientists, entrepreneurs, diplomats, parliamentarians and academics from both Israel and Britain.
The one day- long conference provided an opportunity for participants to identify opportunities for Anglo- Israel cooperation in developing and implementing renewable energy technologies. The delegates exchanged experience and expertise on renewable energy technology and deliberated on what the two countries are doing to meet their respective renewable energy goals, as well as discussing how to remove the obstacles preventing progress in this area.
The conference, organised by Ruth Saunders from the Anglo- Israel Association, and opened by its Chairman Lord Bew, was chaired by Oliver Morton, Senior Editor of The Economist and the keynote speech was given by Nick Butler, Professor and Chair of the Kings Policy Institute.
The Opening Remarks were given by HE Matthew Gould, UK’s Ambassador to Israel, and HE Daniel Taub, Ambassador of Israel to the UK.
(Photo: The Anglo-Israel-Association. From L-R: HE Ambassador Taub, Lord Bew - AIA Chairman, HE Ambassador Gould)
Mr Gould highlighted the importance Israeli innovation has to the British story and the great partnership between Britain and Israel. Mr Taub emphasised the vital environmental, economic and regional implications of renewable energy technologies. Referring to the forthcoming Jewish festival of Hanukkah he noted that “we celebrate at two thousand year old miracle of oil that lasted for eight days. How wonderful that we are sharing technologies to make this closer to reality”.
Ben Moxham, a Senior Advisor on Energy and the Environment to the UK Prime Minister, talked about off-shore wind, the need for policy focus and investment, and the costs needing to fall, but Gaynor Hartnell, the Chief Executive of the Renewable Energy Association, on his panel said the government was focusing too much on off-shore wind, to the exclusion of other technologies.
Innovations from Israel were presented by Professor David Faiman, mainly in relation to solar energy and enhancing capabilities.