The FINANCIAL — Leumi has reached another milestone in its green program: the Bank has installed a photovoltaic system on the roof of its Computer Center in Lod to produce “green" electricity.
Leumi is the first bank in Israel to set up a photovoltaic system on one of its buildings.
As Leumi Group reported, the system consists of solar panels that convert sunlight into electricity. The system installed at Leumi has a production capacity of 50 kilowatts of electricity which will stream into the national electricity grid. The system is expected to produce approximately 85,000 kWh of electricity annually.
Over the past few years Leumi has been offering an attractive financing package and professional consultation services to its customers – both individuals and businesses – seeking to produce green electricity using photovoltaic systems. Since the beginning of 2012, the Bank has given approximately NIS 800 million in credit for setting up such systems.
Ronit Rinder, Head of Procurement, Construction and Logistics at the Bank, explained: “After the past few years during which the Bank specialized in financing and accompanying the installation of photovoltaic systems in numerous factories, moshavs and kibbutzes, we have decided to follow the example set by our customers and install, as the first stage, a solar power system on the roof of one of the Bank’s buildings.
“Given the limited space on which the system is built, it will not be able to supply all our Computer Center electricity needs on its own. However the installation of the system is still symbolically important in that it connects the Bank’s support of its customers in the field of green investment, with the increasing activity within our organization to reduce energy consumption and protect the environment.”
The Leumi Group is committed to promoting environmental protection as part of its corporate responsibility policy. This commitment can be seen in a very wide range of activities aimed at reducing the Group’s environmental footprint.
Among the Group’s notable steps in this area are: the Green Construction Standard which has been awarded to two of the Bank’s buildings in Tel Aviv – the Hashmonai’m branch and the bank headquarters – and to the Rosh Pina branch; the water saving policies; the ongoing search to reduce paper consumption through recycling; the purchase of green technology products; integrating hybrid vehicles into Leumi’s vehicle fleet; proper disposal of electronic waste; and reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
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