The geographically small Israel is making a big statement about the importance of solar energy in the sun-blessed Middle Eastern nation. Recently legislators and environmentalists gathered at the Knesset, Israel's national assembly in Jerusalem, to inaugurate the largest solar field of any parliament in the world (Germany's Bundestag parliament building comes in second followed by Austria's parliament). Nearly 1,500 solar panels placed on the Knesset roof and surrounding buildings nearly 5000 square meters will provide 10 percent of the assembly's electricity with an installed capacity of 450 kW. "What is happening before our very eyes is indeed exciting, a true revolution. It is not just the solar panels; it is the message, the idea, the new path. This is not merely a revolution in energy-saving; it is also a turning point with regards to the environmental awareness revolution that we have been promoting over the past two years," Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein said at the dedication ceremony. The solar panels are part of the Green Knesset Project launched in January 2014 that aims to make Israel's parliament building a model of sustainability. Other energy efficiency initiatives include changing overhead lighting to LED, recycling, composting, upgrading the water and air-conditioning systems, installing electric vehicle charging stations and eliminating plastic bottles from committee meetings. Taken together, the sustainability measures are expected to reduce the Knesset's electricity bills by one-third by the end of 2015. This project is the first part of its Green Knesset Project, consisting of 13 advanced projects for saving energy and water. In total, the Knesset has invested US$ 1.8 million in the project. All of the projects that were approved are economically viable, and the project should pay for itself within five years.

Apple just signed a development agreement with the City of Claremont, which will allow it to build its third massive solar farm in North Carolina. When finished, the 405 thousand square meters farm is expected to produce 17.5 megawatts at a development cost of US$ 55 million. The new development will be the company's third solar farm not only in North Carolina, but within Catawba County. The first is a 20 megawatt farm located on the company's campus in Maiden, and in 2013 Apple gained the rights for construction of a second 20 megawatt farm in Conover. The farms are used to power the Maiden iCloud data center, which like all the company's data centers runs on 100 percent renewable energy. The latest approval required the City of Claremont to annex land that was not in the city's corporate limits, but in its extraterritorial jurisdiction. A separate agreement allows for a land swap between Apple and the City, with Apple returning two parcels of land to be used for greenways, public recreation and other public purposes. The project is expected to create 75 jobs during construction, which Apple has pledged to source locally if possible.

It was revealed, that the Dubai Municipality will build a sustainable residential city for Emirate residents, powered by solar energy. The future for Dubai seems bright and eco-friendly as Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai ruler and the UAE's Vice President and Prime Minister, was briefed on the new residential project, 'Dubai Smart Sustainable City'. The project will be built close by to the Al Aweer Roundabout in Dubai and accommodate around 160,000 people over a total area of 5660 hectares. The city will be "completely sustainable" according to Dawood Al Hajeri, manager of planning and engineering sector department. It will produce 200 megawatts from solar panels covering the roofs of residential units and other buildings in its area. The city will recycle over 40,000 cubic meters of water, and that it will be fully sustainable and self-supporting in terms of its resources, transport and most importantly its energy. The work on the 'Dubai Smart Sustainable City' will start immediately and is expected to finish by Dubai's expo time of 2020.