PD calls for a working process update on Malta’s renewable energy sources policy

Partit Demokratiku said that the recent application to turn a disused contaminated landfill into a solar land farm at Bengħajsa is questionable. Article 5 of the Solar Farm Policy, which defines the Criteria for the location of Solar Farm development, rules this out, the party said in a statement.

Malta’s closed system, its small size and insularity present us with unique challenges. Our limited space is a concern as land is too scarce.

“Without a national master plan and a land and sea policy we can never reach sustainable outcomes, less so appropriate energy-mix criteria,” states MEP candidate Camilla Appelgren.

Partit Demokratiku notes that the National Energy Policy was published in December 2012 and the roadmap to achieve the policy objectives had to evolve within the framework of an updated implementation process. Has it?

Malta does not have great potential for solar farms as land costs are too high. PA’s Solar Policy targets quarries to be turned into solar farms. Is this the right way forward? Today’s advances in this technology have made inroads, including sea solar farms as a promising venue.

“First we must reduce and then produce. We must have energyefficient buildings to reach the EU Directive targets. We also need to retro-fit old buildings with better envelope materials. It is high time that photo voltaic systems should be installed on the footprint of all buildings. With today’s technology there is no problem of shading,” continued Camilla Appelgren.

PD asks: Are the right incentives in place? The main issue is that Enemalta is not totally government owned, so the framework of Malta’s Renewable Energy Sources Policy should be replaced to reflect today scenario. Where does the Regulator for Energy and Water Services (REWS) stand in all this?