Gas, Electricity

Israeli households depend entirely on electricity which is provided by the state-owned Israel Electric Corporation. Israel’s only natural energy resource is sunlight so it’s not surprising that Israel has pioneered the use of solar energy. Its power stations run on imported coal and oil however.

You will notice the solar water heaters that cover roof-tops all over the country: they consist of a 150-litre insulated storage tank with 2 sq.m. flat panel. The latter collects solar radiation, heats the water and passes it to storage in a gravity-driven loop. These systems operate at an annual average efficiency of approximately 50%. For most of the year Israeli homes have no need to use electrical water heating. Household electricity charges are currently 0.133 US Dollars per kilowatt hour, which is below most major European countries.

The electric current in Israel is 220 volts AC. Most Israeli sockets are of the three pronged variety, but many accommodate European two-pronged plugs as well. Electric shavers, travelling irons and other small appliances may require adapters and/or transformers, which can be purchased in Israel.

Water

As one might imagine water is a scarce and costly commodity in Israel. The Water Authority was established to take care of the national supply. Huge desalination plants for the conversion of seawater into fresh water have been constructed although they only produce a small part of the country’s overall water needs at the moment. Household water charges vary from municipality to municipality but expect them to be several times higher than major European countries.