Environment

Israeli researchers are developing methods for growing and harvesting seaweed as a source of renewable energy. Not only can it be grown along coastlines, it can also clear the water of excessive nutrients caused by human waste or aquaculture.

An Israeli bio-informatics software company developed a web-based platform and Android app to answer the needs of plant breeders. The system enables breeders to follow the entire lineage of a plant and provides them with statistical analysis.

An Israeli research shows that plants can "eavesdrop" on nearby plants - by receiveing signals from them . This allows them to prepare themselves for stressful conditions, such as drought.

Instead of a land-based solar system, the company Solaris Synergy decided to develop a water-based technology. In other words: a floating solar power plant. According to the company, any fresh, salt or waste water surface can be turned into a solar energy platform.

The sought-after Argan oil, once produced only in Morocco, is now being developed in Israel by “Sivan.” The company created what it says is a super strain of Argan, tolerant to local climate and producing 10 times more nuts than the average tree in Morocco.

According to Israeli startup Stream Control, 40 percent of the water available to us is lost every year, primarily because of leaks. This "non-revenue" water costs 14 billion dollars per year, the company says. Stream Control's solution is called Aqua-Guard, an electronic controller device that can minimize leakages caused by excessive pressure in pipes.

An Israeli company is developing biodegradable food packages that perish within 180 days. The Tipa packages are currently suitable for soft foods and the company is developing packaging for beverages as well. The company hopes to enter the market with several pilot products by the end of this year

Israeli scientist discovered a way to detect small-scale changes in climate, based on satellite images. The system can tell farmers when it is best to plant seeds and even which crop is most suitable for each square-kilometer, to improve harvest.

AORA Solar, an Israeli developer of concentrated solar power, will be opening its second-ever gas-turbine solar thermal power station in Spain. The plant will answer the electricity needs of the local population and provide additional heat energy for an adjacent desalination facility.

Israeli agro-biotechnology company, Rosetta Green, has developed a new technology to develop plants that are better able to withstand prolonged periods of severe drought. The company aims to develop new plant varieties resistant to harsh climatic condition, maintaining an increased yield.

According to an international study with Israeli input, moonlight and starlight aren't just romantic they are also healthier than harsh artificial light - especially LED (light-emitting diodes) white light, which suppresses important brain processes.

China Southern Power Grid and Better Place, the Israeli provider of global electric car networks, announced the opening of their Switchable Electric Car Experience Center in CHina's Guangzhou’s province. The center will demonstrate the technology behind Better Place's "battery swap stations" for electric cars.

The company Geotectura has broken ground on Israel’s very first LEED Platinum Building. From brownfield rehabilitation to the most advanced energy and water saving techniques, the PSES EcoBuilding’s groundbreaking design is bound to inspire a whole new era of sustainable development.

Israeli scientists have developed a new process by which any oil, including leftovers of fast food joints, or "falafel stands," as they say, can be turned into biodiesel, without requiring much energy in the process.

Kibbutz Lotan’s Center for Creative Ecology in Israel, which is recognized as one of the world’s most advanced pioneers in all aspects of sustainable living, recently launched a fantastic eco-guide that covers everything from composting to earth architecture and how to get along in an ecologically-minded community.