Moshav Yachini

Erecting a photovoltaic facility at Moshav

Yachini Plan No. 7/MP/1043

Appendix for conservation and land

restoration

April 2013
 Amphibio Ltd. - consulting, planning and project management in the fields of environment
protection
and water resources
Ziva House, 1, Yasmin Street (Seminar Efal), P.O .B. 9108, Ramat Efal, Ramat Gan 52190
Tel: 03-7369972, fax: 03-7252774 | Mobile: 050-5770577, e-mail: office@amphibio.co.il
Appendix for conservation and land restoration as part of an application for a permit for
photovoltaic facility in Moshav Yachini commissioned by the project developers - Moshav
Yachini and “Arava Power Company” and was prepared by the Company “Amphibio Ltd”.

The “Amphibio Ltd.” team who partnered in the preparation of the document:
Amit Tal Preparation of the document and project management
Ingy Ruth Margalit Shmia Compilation of data and writing

The people who helped with the data and information;

Zachary Hajbi Moshav Yachini
Architect Abraham Idelstein A. B. Planners
Architect Ronit Dozy Arava Power Company
Tzafrir Perkis Arava Power Company
Ron Eitan Arava Power Company
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 Background ......................................................................................................................... 2

2 Documentation of existing situation at the site ................................................................... 2

2.1 Site Description .............................................................................................................. 2

2.2 Photos from the site ....................................................................................................... 3

3 Details of facilities, buildings and infrastructure at the site................................................. 11

3.1 Earthworks and infrastructure during erection of the facility .......................................... 11

3.2 Contractors Camp and assembly area .......................................................................... 12

3.3 Components of the photovoltaic facility ......................................................................... 12

3.4 Electrical system components........................................................................................ 13

3.5 Structures ...................................................................................................................... 14

3.3 Infrastructure ................................................................................................................. 15

4 Description of dismantling the facility ................................................................................. 17

5 Soil conservation guidelines while operating the facility .................................................... 18

6 Summary ............................................................................................................................. 19

Illustrations
Illustration 1: Marking the planning area on an environmental chart ................................................ 4

Illustration 2: Aerial photograph of the planning area and its surroundings ..................................... 5

Illustration 3: A view from a point in the center of the northern boundary of the site to the southwest 6

Illustration 4: A view from a point in the center of the northern boundary of the site to the southeast 7

Illustration 5: A view from a point in the center of the area towards Moshav Yachini (northwest) ... 8

Illustration 3: A view from the center of the area toward the northern boundary of the area ........... 9

Illustration 7: A view of the site from the direction of the houses in Moshav Yachini, which are close to it (from the east)

.......................................................................................................................................................... 10

Illustration 8: Principal section of the representative receiving units ................................................ 13

1 Background

As part of the application for a permit to construct the photovoltaic facility at Moshav Yachini, according to a plan
7/MP/1043, it is required to prepare an appendix for land conservation and restoration and downtime for
agriculture. This document has been prepared in accordance with requirements set forth in section 6.1.8 of the
provisions of the plan, as shown below. It should be noted that the environmental landscape document according
to National Outline Plan 10/D/10 filed at the City Building Plan stage.

6.1.8 Conditions for granting the building permit will be the local committee approval to the restoration and
preservation of land and agricultural downtime appendix. The appendix will constitute a part of the permit
documents and will include documentation of the current situation, details of the facilities, infrastructures and
buildings to be dismantled and also land conservation provisions during the operation of the facility, including
cleaning of the facilities in order to prevent land degradation, inter alia by detergents. In addition, a provision
that is included in the appendix that at the end of the operation of the facility or for expiration of license for
producing electricity the land is restored in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
and in accordance with the provisions and professional guidelines that will be given for the end of the operation
of the facility,

2 Documentation of the site status quo

2.1 Site description

The site is planned in the areas of agricultural land adjacent to the wall and east of parcel A in Moshav Yachini.
The site is located in bloc 893, in the confines of parcel 29.

Size of the area - The planned site area is about 500 hectares.

A boundary of the area - Around the entire area of the plan is an agricultural dirt road and agricultural fields
beyond it. To the North are the Moshav's agricultural buildings, a row of groves and a sparse line of pine trees
near the cemetery of the Moshav. To the East, there is a small group of cypress trees near a small old cemetery.
At the North West boundary there is a pumping station of the Mekorot Water Company that descends from it
along the Western boundary.

In the middle there is an agricultural road wrought from Wadi material.

Current use of the area - It is currently farmland being used to grow crops. The area is processed,

cleared and flattened. Type of land - Les.

Surface - General topography is flat. The plan area is located on a hill that drains down in a general direction to
the south at a moderate slope of 2-3%, and the average topographical elevation is about 130 m above sea level.

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Streams - There are no streams and flow channels in the plan area, but there are topography slopes and valleys
(along which local flows occur). At a distance of about 1 km south of the plan area through a salts brook, defined
as a secondary drainage artery. The plan area is at a distance far away from its impact strip (whose width is 50
m from the brook bank).

Vegetation - The vegetation in the area is mostly agricultural crops cultivated in continuous processing. There
are no natural values and ecosystems in the plan area. On the edge of the fields there is herbaceous vegetation,
such as: Chrysanthemum coronation, field mustard, Iberian star-thistle, etc.

Animals - No breeding and breeding sites for animals were found in the plan area. The agricultural land is used
for passage for local animals.

2.2 Photos from the site

Below is a map of the surrounding area marking the plan area and photographs of the site area, as photographed
area at the end of March 2012 (points marked on the aerial photo shooting, according to the illustration numbers).

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Illustration 1: Marking the plan area on a chart of the surroundings
(Provided by “A.B. Planning”)

4
 The plan area
Yachini

Illustration 2: Aerial photograph of the plan area and its surroundings

(taken from Google Maps)

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Illustration 3: A view from a point in the center of the northern boundary of the site toward the southwest

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Illustration 4: A view from a point in the center of the northern boundary of the site toward the southeast

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Illustration 5: A view from the center of the plan area toward Moshav Yachini (Northwest)

8
 Agricultural buildings of
Yachini Graveyard

Illustration 6: A view from the center of the area toward the northern boundary of the area

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 Center of the plan area

Illustration 7: A view from the site from the houses in Moshav Yachini that are closest to it (from the east)

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3 details of the facilities, buildings and infrastructure on the site

Below is a description of the components of the site and reference to the works to be carried out under its inception
stages. The duration of the erection is estimated to be about a year.

3.1 Earthworks and infrastructure during inception of the facility

The existing surface is planar and moderate. Therefore, the earthworks that will be required in the area of the
plan will be on a limited scale, without altering the surface. Cleaning, leveling and slight tightening of the surface
will be carried out, if necessary. Specific earthworks will be required for the erection of the operating rooms and
for the construction of the piles for the erection of the metal structures for the receptors. Small quantities of earth
will result from the works and will be made use of in leveling the surface. Unexpected excess surface dirt may
require that it be moved from the planned area. If there is any excess dirt, they will be disposed of at an authorized
site such as Dodaim.

Inside the area of the facility the ground will not need to be prepared because its trails are designated for traveling
with tools (tractor, forklift, etc.). It may transpire that the access trails to the facility during the erection period and
its central axis, it will be necessary to tighten the ground because of the need to unload equipment from trucks If
necessary, a substrate will be placed on them to prevent soil subsidence.

Three infrastructure lines will enter the facility area: Water, telecommunications and electricity temporarily.

The water infrastructure will be taken from a point close to the area of the facility. During the erection period a
temporary water transport infrastructure will be constructed.

The communication infrastructure will be taken from a point close to the area of the facility to a point close to
the main converter. During the erection period, a temporary communication cable will be laid.

The electrical power infrastructure will be temporarily taken from a point close to the erection area and up to
it. After completion of the works, the infrastructure can be removed. If a generator is required for the erection
phase, it shall be placed within a containment facility to prevent soil contamination.

During the erection period, the workers will be provided with biological or chemical toilets placed around the site.
It is also possible that there will be restrooms in a building in the area of the Moshav, at a point close to the site
area.

At all stages of the construction, maximum measures will be taken to prevent dust from the plan area.
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3.2 Contractors camp and assembly area

The contractor camp and assembly area will be located within the boundaries of the plan. The camp will be set
up in accordance with the provisions of the Southern District Nature and Parks Authority "Provisions for the
erection, operation and restoration of contractor camps". Removal of waste such as cardboard and plastic will be
carried out in coordination with the Environmental Unit.

Access to the site will be allowed through the local statutory road of the Moshav, according to the definition of
valid plan 131/03/7 and easement of traffic on the existing farming road.

3.3 Components of the photovoltaic facility

The facility is designed to provide about 35 megawatts. It includes modules (solar receptors) and related
equipment for connecting to the electrical system (converters, High Voltage Transformers, Electrical and control
panels, electrical equipment structures, etc.). The receptors consist of different layers of silicon. In each layer the
composition of materials and electronic charge differ, which during the passage of light through them produce an
electric current. A glass protection is assembled on the silicon layers, and all the layers are assembled in an
aluminum frame.

Receptors

The receptors shall be installed above the ground, at a maximum height of about 3 meters. The area of each
receptor is approximately 1x2 m and can be changed as per the technological constraints. The receptors will be
placed in parallel rows at an angle of 20-30 degrees to the south. About 40-50% of the total plan area will be
covered, at a horizontal projection, by receptors. However, the actual ground covered, with direct contact with
the ground, will be significantly less because the receptors shall be placed on a metal construction structure up
to a height of approximately 2.5 meters above the ground.

Establishing the receptors

The construction of the receptors is planned to be made of galvanized steel profiles combined with aluminum
profiles, connected with bolts. The metal construction will be placed inside concrete piles of about 30 cm in
diameter and at a height of up to about 1.5 meters on the “hind Legs” which will be entrenched into the ground
to a depth of approx. 2 m (see illustration 8) . Alternatively, if necessary, and in accordance with the construction
contractor, the tables can be erected and entrenched under pressure in the ground, without concrete piles.
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 Sectioning principle - solar panel 1:100
Illustration 8: Sectioning principle of representative receptor units
(Provided by “A. B. Planners”)

3.4 Electrical system components

Connection box
On the back of each receptor a power cable connection box exists that concentrates the resulting electrical output
from it? The receptors are connected in a series via cables coming out of the boxes.

“String” box

The box is fixed at the end of each “table” (line of receptors), which coordinates the direct current electrical output
of all the connection boxes from the receptors on the “table”.

Collection box

It is a box which coordinates the output of multiple string boxes. The collection boxes are adjacent to the main
paths and the connection from the string boxes to them and from them to the transformation structures is through
cables. If the cable is used above ground, they will be protected from rodents.

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Underground cables

Underground power cables would be placed at a depth of about 60 cm. In addition to the cable system described
above, there will be a cable system that shall lead the electrical energy from the transformation structures to the
switching structure.

Communication cables shall be placed at a depth of about 50 cm and shall connect the transformer and switching
rooms to the national data center of the Company.

3.5 Buildings

Operating rooms will be placed in an area at defined locations, as specified in the construction permit.
Transformer and control structures will be painted in local earthy tones and in coordination with Nature and Parks
Authority.

The switching structures

Switching structure will be placed between the rows of receptors. These structures shall convert incoming
electrical energy that enters as direct current (DC), to alternating current (AC) by converters, and then,
transformed by transformers, in order to be connected to the electricity distribution grid. There are two typical
room structures: Typical structure A and typical structure B. Typical structure A features a medium voltage panels,
control and service room panels, converters room and transformer room, with an area of about 74 square meters.
Typical structure B has two transformers rooms and a converter room, with an area of about 50 square meters.
The maximum height of structures above ground is approximately 3.70 m, and a depth of about 2 meters below
the surface. 22 type B rooms and one type A structure will be placed in the area.

Power structure (sub-station)

Adjacent to the point of connection to the external power grid, a sub-station shall be placed. The sub-station shall
coordinates the flow from the other buildings at the facility and transfer it to the distribution grid. The height of the
structure is approx. 8 meters and its dimensions are 17X110 meters.

Command and control structure

For the benefit of the operations and maintenance due to the size of the facility and the personnel employed in
it, and due to the expectations of stringent requirements on the subject of security by Security Officer for the
Ministry of Infrastructure, a command and control structure that includes an office building and a warehouse for
spare parts will be placed in the area. The structure’s area shall be about 250 square meters and at a height of
about 4.5 meters.
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Perimeter Fence

The facility area will be defined by a fenced area using welded mesh fence with galvanized steel poles. The fence
height will be about 2.35 meters with a 45-degree angle outward at the upper end. The fence will be affixed to
the ground with stakes, in concrete foundations at a depth about 0.8 m below the surface. The fence shall be
built in accordance with the provisions of the National and Parks Authority.

Entrance gate

The main entrance gate will be located in the northern part of the facility. The width will be approximately 6
meters and its structure shall be made of galvanized steel profiles and mesh, similar to that of the fence. Other
gates will be installed on other fronts of the site, depending on operational needs.

3.6 INFRASTRUCURES

Electricity
Connecting the facility to the electricity grid will be executed through an elevated 161 KW high voltage line. The
route of the transmission line from the power plant to the national grid shall be determined jointly with the Israel
Electric Corporation (IEC) and it will be planned, erected and operated by the IEC. Connecting the facility to the
national electrical grid will be by using a high voltage line that runs along the adjacent Route 34.

Security and lighting

An electronic identification system will be placed on the fence and also an underground communication cable will
be laid along the fence to connect segments of the electronic identification and cameras to the control center.
Along the fence and the center of the receptors field, cameras will be placed at a height of 3 to 10 meters and
also laser beams poles (depending on the visibility conditions). Height of masts will be determined according to
the surface conditions and according to the obstacles that may be present, so that the ground all along the
perimeter fence is visible.
Perimeter lighting will be carried out in accordance with the Security Officer for the Ministry of Infrastructure
because this concerns the national infrastructure.

Water
A separate water connection will be established for the facility's operation.

Air conditioning
The operations structures will be air conditioned according to the climate conditions, for maintaining the efficiency
of the transformers and electrical conduction.

Fire extinguishing relay

Fire extinguishing equipment will be placed according to the operational requirements of the facility.
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Internal roads

Internal dirt roads, about 3 meters wide, shall allow vehicular access to the buildings and facilities, for

maintenance purposes.

Access Routes

Access r routes to the site will be based on the existing routes, including agricultural roads, contingent on what

exists.

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4 Description of dismantling the facility
Below are details of how the facilities on the site shall be dismantled, and how we will every component be used,
depending on the uses and technologies that will be available at the time, while taking care to maintain the work
boundaries of the facility area labor and preventing damage to the environment. Upon completing the operation
of the facility, it will revert to being for agricultural use, in accordance with the Ministry of Agriculture that shall be
valid at the time. In accordance with the provisions of the City Building Plan in section 4.5.2.G, the sub-station
structure shall not be dismantled upon the expiration of the plan.

• Disconnecting the field from the electricity transmission system, in coordination with the IEC.

• Receptors - disconnecting from the cables and dismantling its components: Receptors, connection
boxes, string boxes. If the parts are usable, they will be transferred for use in the Company’s other
facilities. The rest of the facilities will be dismantled into their components and delivered for recycling:
Silicon plates, plastic, metal, copper wire and more.

• Construction - parts that qualify shall be transferred for use in the Company’s other facilities. It will be
separated into components, according to types of metals. The foundations will be extracted from the
ground, the concrete will be separated from the iron and they will be recycled as construction waste in
authorized sites.

• Underground cables - will be extracted from the ground and transferred to be used the Company’s in
other facilities, if they shall qualify. The remainder will be separated into their components and delivered
to the appropriate recycling plants.

• Fence and entry gates - will be dismantled and transferred to the Company’s other facilities or sold for
reuse or recycling of metals.

• Security measures and lighting - will be transferred to the Company’s other facilities or sold for reuse or
to recycling plants that are suitable.

• Various infrastructure components - will be dismantled for reuse or recycling at appropriate plants.

• Dismantling the facility will be done while maintaining the environmental aspects and maintaining the
quality of the soil in accordance with the directives of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Ministry
of Agriculture and the National Parks Authority.
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5 Soil conservation directives facility while operating it
• Erection of the photovoltaic facility will be carried out with minimal damage to the soil and reducing the
excavations.
• Before commencing the fencing of the area designated for the installation and assembly area.
• Access roads to the site will be the existing roads.
• If the generator is required, the fuel tank must be placed in a standard containment facility as stated in
section 6.11.5.A of the City Building Plan.
• Waste or surplus dirt should not be buried in the soil.
• Garbage disposal arrangements will be in accordance with the directives of the Local Authority
Engineer, as stated in Section 6.11.4.B of the City Building Plan.
• Cleansing of the receptors will be done, as far as possible, with low water usage.
• No detergents shall be used.
• Any damage to the environment will require restoration accordance with the National Parks Authority.
• After the establishment of the infrastructure for the facility, agricultural plant seeding will be permitted
according to the directives of the Ministry of Agriculture, as stated in section 6.11.3.C of the City
Building Plan.

• Preventing the development of high vegetation in the plan area will be executed through various physical
methods, which do not include chemical pesticides. Spraying of herbicides or germination inhibitors will
not be used the facility area. Mechanical means will be used only in accordance with section 6.11.3.D of
the City Building Plan.

• Activities will be carried out to prevent the establishment of invasive vegetation in accordance with the
instructions of the Nature and Parks Authority, as provided in section 6.11.3.E of the City Building Plan.

• As stated in section 6.1.20.1 of the City Building Plan, an inspection will be carried out every year for the
first 5 years by a professional to examine the effectiveness of measures to reduce the amount of surface
runoff and erosion. A report will be submitted to the Drainage Authority and the Ministry of Agriculture. If
it revealed that the measures do not meet the requirements, the developer will introduce additional
measures according to the guidelines. After the first 5 years an inspection will be carried out, as stated,
once every 3 years and a report will be submitted to the Drainage Authority.
• The process of dismantling the facility will be done with strict observance of the boundaries of work in
the field designated for the facility, and prevent any damage to the surrounding area, as stated in
section 6.12 A of the City Building Plan

• Upon dismantling, the recyclable/reusable materials shall be sent, as much as possible and in
accordance with the uses and technologies that will be available at that time, or will be disposed off at an
authorized site and according to guidelines of the Ministry for Environmental Protection as determined at
the time of dismantling the facility as stated in section 6.12.C of the City Building Plan

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 • Dismantling the facility will be carried out while maintaining the environmental aspects and maintaining
the quality of the soil and all in accordance with the directives of the Ministry of the Environment and/or
Ministry of Agriculture and/or Nature and Parks Authority, as provided in section 6.12.D of the City
Building Plan

• At the end of the operation of the facility or upon expiration of the license for producing electricity, the
land will be restored in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture, and in accordance with the
professional guidelines that will be given for it at the end of the operation of the facility.

6 Summary

The area designated for the photovoltaic facility near Moshav Yachini is currently being used for agriculture. Upon
completion of the operation of the facility, the area will revert to be used for agricultural purposes. Soil restoration
will be carried out in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture, and in accordance with the professional
guidelines that will be given for it at the end of the operation of the facility. Operation and dismantling of the facility
in accordance with this appendix will enable agricultural use of the area in the future and prevention of
environmental damage.
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