Yosef Abramowitz (born 1964) is an Israeli-American environmentalist, solar energy pioneer and activist. He is president and CEO of Gigawatt Global (Energiya Global Capital), as well as co-founder of the Arava Power Company and the NGO Gigawatt Impact.[2] He has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his activism three times, by 12 African countries, Belize, and Israel.[3]
In 2011, Abramowitz co-founded and currently serves as the CEO of Energiya Global Capital / Gigawatt Global,[2] a company which finances green energy projects in Sub-Saharan Africa. Gigawatt Global has established renewable energy projects around the world, including projects in Rwanda and Burundi as well as the United States,[4] making a massive impact in renewable sector in Africa, creating the first utility scale solar field in all of East Africa in 2014 through building the Rwamagana Solar Power Station under the Power Africa Scheme.[5]
In 2006, along with David Rosenblatt and Ed Hofland, Abramowitz co-founded the Arava Power Company on Kibbutz Ketura, and served as the president of the company until 2013.[6] In 2008, Siemens Project Ventures acquired a 40% stake in the company through a $15 million investment.[7] In 2010, the Arava Power Company gained government funding, which allowed the company to build 8 projects in the Negev Desert, which supplied 58.5 MW.[8]
In 2025, Abramowitz co-founded the NGO Gigawatt Impact.[9]
Journalism and writing
Abramowitz has extensive experience as a columnist, working for The Daily Free Press (1983–86), Israel Scene Magazine (1988–90), Moment Magazine (1993–95), The Chronicle of Philanthropy (2004–2006), Ha’aretz (2010) and the Jerusalem Post (2013–2021)[10]
Along with his wife, Susan Silverman Abramowitz wrote Jewish Family and Life: Traditions, Holidays, and Values for Today's Parents and Children, which was published in 1998.[11] Furthermore, he has received writing credits for What Israel Means to Me (2006), How Americans Feel About Israel (1984) and Jews, Zionism, and South Africa (1984).
Activism
Soviet Jews
Abramowitz was deeply involved in campaigning for the protection of Jews who lived in the Soviet Union. From 1997–2007, he was the president of the Union of Councils for Soviet Jews,[12] which has earned him three separate Nobel Peace Prize nominations.[3]
In October 1985, as part of his campaign for Soviet Jewry, Abramowitz was arrested while protesting for the release of Boris Lifshitz. The case was overturned by the supreme court.[13] Abramowitz also led a 2-week long hunger strike for the release of Soviet prisoner Alexei Magarik. In February 1987, Abramowitz organized 23 demonstrations around the world on Jewish Student Solidarity Day for Soviet Jewry.[citation needed]
Abramowitz has fought for the rights of the Bedouin community in Israel and their inclusion in renewable energy solutions through the NGO Shamsuna ("our sun" in Arabic).[16] He is both a co-founder and co-chair of the company. Shamsuna has managed to facilitate projects such as the Al-Furra School, which has brought renewable energy and education to over 350 students.[17]
Other activism
Abramowitz developed Gaza’s first independent solar field through creating a 2 MW project that was designed to supply power to a nearby hospital and wastewater treatment plant. This project was critically damaged during the war.[18]
In 1997, Abramowitz was part of the successful campaign to reinstate $7 billion to the United States as a correction to the Welfare Reform Act.[19]
Abramowitz helped to establish the Ethiopian Atid Ehad political party in Israel. He is also an active advocate for collaboration between Arab and Jewish Israelis over renewable energy.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
