3,888 families benefit from government energy schemes in three years
Since 2021, a total of 3,888 families benefited from four government schemes to encourage their energy transition, receiving circa €10.5m in financial support for renewable energy systems, solar water heaters and other green technologies.
This financial support was granted through four schemes administered by the Regulator for Energy and Water Services (REWS). They include the Solar Water Heaters Scheme, the Heat Pump Water Heater Scheme and the Roof Insulation and Double-Glazing Scheme, all of which have now been relaunched for 2024, as well as the Renewable Energy Sources Scheme for the installation of PV and battery storage systems, which will be reopened in the coming months.
The Minister for the Environment, Energy and Regeneration of the Grand Harbour Miriam Dalli, REWS CEO Ing. Marjohn Abela and EWA CPO Ing. Charles Buttigieg announced these positive figures during a consultation meeting with stakeholders held last week.
The minister emphasised the government’s determination towards sustainable use of energy, the transition towards cleaner energy and decreasing the dependency on fossil fuels. This also follows Malta’s commitment as part of the COP28 Agreement reached last December, whereby countries were asked to begin transitioning away from fossil fuels to reach net-zero emissions by the year 2050.
The same goal forms part of the European Green Deal. “It is worth noting that the intermediate goal for the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is at least 19% by 2030, compared to 1990. If, as a country, we continue to work together, we can reach this goal by looking at those sectors that can contribute the most, and we address them by encouraging families to go for grants and schemes in these sectors,” Minister Dalli said.
The minister thanked families in Malta and Gozo for actively participating in this green transition by investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency in their homes.
The government will be allocating €1m for the three 2024 schemes relaunched this month, including the financial assistance for the installation of heat pump water heaters (HPWH), solar water heaters (SWH) and roof insulation and double-glazing (RIDG).
Later this year, REWS will also be launching a multi-million scheme to support families investing in the installation of grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems and household battery storage systems.
Ing. Abela spoke about how these schemes are supporting families to be more sustainable and efficient in the use of energy. “In fact, the government has allocated €26m to these schemes and 3,888 families have benefited with an investment of more than €10m in the last three years.”
Through a separate initiative, the Energy and Water Agency also helps families to make their homes more energy efficient, providing free energy and water consultations. More than 3,900 households benefited from this service since it was launched several years ago. EWA also administers another scheme that assists vulnerable households replace their old appliances with more energy-efficient solutions, helping them reduce their carbon emissions, as well as their utility bills.
Ing. Charles Buttigieg stated: “The free home visits are an initiative that is gaining popularity among the public and is contributing to an increased awareness of more efficient use of electricity and water in households. In fact, over 700 visits were conducted in 2023, a number that continues to grow year after year.”
The Malta Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber of SMEs, the Malta Developers’ Association, the Chamber of Engineers, the Malta Intelligent Energy Management Agency (MIEAA) and the Malta Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energies Association (MEEREA) were also present for the meeting.