Chief Scientist​
Ministry of Environmental Protection

Dr. Netanyahu is the Chief Scientist in the Ministry of Environmental Protection. Her office supports academic and applicative driven environmental research, as waste to energy and alternative fuels among others. She is also responsible for advising the Minister, the Director General and the Ministry divisions on scientific, technological and strategic matters. Sinaia is a member of the following Board of Directors and Councils: The Oil Council, The National Company for the Protection of the Coastal Cliff, The National Bioethics Council, The Council for Advancing Women in Science, and The Public Statistics Council.

Sinaia served as a lecturer in both the Ben-Gurion University and the Hebrew University, and was the Director of Environmental Sustainable Finance at TAHAL Group.

Sinaia holds a B.A. in Economics and a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resource Economics- both from the University of Maryland, USA.

Abstract

In accordance with Government Resolution Number 3954, dated August 21, 2008 on "Research, Technology Development and Electricity Production in the Field of Renewable Energy”, the government called on the Ministry of Environmental Protection to promote infrastructure research and to commission academic research with a potential for commercial applicability. Accordingly, the ministry has taken steps to advance research studies on energy recovery from waste. Since 2010, The Ministry has supported over 20 studies in the field. Energy recovery from waste will not replace the major energy sources, mainly due to relatively low amount of energy that is available for recovery, compared with our national energy needs. However, energy recovery can give an added value for waste, and promote waste landfilling reduction.

Most renewable energy technologies are still not cost-effective. Many have less than desirable environmental effects in the manufacturing, energy production and\or 'end-of-life' stages. We must take into account these implications before we call these technologies "sustainable", or before we promote the wide use of these technologies.