Jerusalem, Dec 16 (IANS): Israel has inaugurated its first power plant that generates electricity from sea waves, Israel's Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure said in a statement.

Located at Jaffa Port in the Mediterranean city of Tel Aviv-Yafo, the power plant has an installed capacity of 100 kilowatts. It was developed by the Israeli energy company Eco Wave Power and built in collaboration with the French state-owned electricity utility EDF and the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality, with funding from the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, Xinhua news agency reported.

The facility consists of 10 buoys installed along the breakwater at Jaffa Port, each connected to a patented energy conversion unit that allows for easy operation and maintenance.

The buoys rise and fall with wave movements, driving a hydraulic motor and generator onshore. The system is capable of generating electricity from waves as low as 60 cm in height.

Equipped with a smart control system, the technology raises the buoys above the sea surface during storms to prevent damage.

All electricity generated by the project is supplied to Israel's national grid, with the state-owned Israel Electric Corporation purchasing all the energy produced by the facility.

The ministry noted that the project is a step toward increasing energy production from renewable sources, reducing air pollution, and enhancing Israel's energy security.