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The cost of energy has always been a problem for our country. Our limited resources and our total dependence on importation means the price of oil will always be high and burdensome on the Maltese economy.
The problem has now been magnified with the price rising to astrological figures. The Iraq war, the booming economies of China and India, sucking up demand and the devastating effects of the recent hurricane on oil production in the Gulf of Mexico, are all reflected in the price. At USD71 dollars a barrel, the price of oil risks having a devastating effect on the world economy.
The issue is no longer whether we can afford to consider other sources of energy but whether we can afford not to. Switching over is now of essence and a concerted effort is required to study the alternatives available to lessen our dependence on oil.
Options exist though not all may appear feasible or sustainable in Malta.
Other countries have made good progress in the use of wind, sun and water in energy generation. Wind farms may be problematic in a country so small like ours unless these are constructed offshore away from the coast. The pre-budget document published by government states that a feasibility study has to be conducted to see whether it makes economic and logistic sense to construct off-shore wind farms in deep waters.
Wind may not be an ideal solution but the sun could very well offer us the possibility to transfer a small percentage of our energy generation to this alternative source.
Constructing solar panels to generate energy requires a hefty capital investment even if in the long term, with oil prices establishing at their highest levels in decades, it may turn out to be profitable. Space may also be an issue since solar panels would need to cover large areas in order to generate enough electricity to make the project feasible.
Government may utilise the rooftops of all its factories and open areas in industrial zones, public schools and possibly the rooftops of other public buildings to locate solar panels. The energy generated may not be a lot but it could serve small communities, lessening the burden on Enemalta.
Other options include waste treatment technologies and within this context it may be opportune to start considering incineration or other similar technologies, not only as a solution to our waste problem but also as a way of generating electricity.
But what is definitely needed in the short term is an information campaign accompanied by some concrete measures to entice people into conserving energy.
When government introduced the surcharge last year, the premise was that Enemalta would launch an energy saving campaign. As yet, this campaign is nowhere to be seen. A simple measure such as supplying each and every household with one, energy saving bulb to replace the traditional incandescent type, could serve as a trigger to other energy saving techniques.
Teaching people how to conserve energy is no longer an environmentalist fad but an economic necessity.
The Parliamentary Secretary for agriculture Frans Agius is wrong when insisting that all questions should be forwarded to him prior to an interview taking place. Far worse is his insistence that questions regarding the golf course should not be asked.
The prime minister himself when interviewed by this newspaper did not insist on such preferential treatment.
Frans Agius, being parliamentary secretary for agriculture, is directly involved in the golf course issue and is answerable to the farmers at Manikata whose lease has been terminated. The interview would have given the junior minister the possibility to address the farmers’ concerns.
It is not MaltaToday’s policy to forward questions prior to an interview being conducted.
This newspaper insists on the freedom to ask pertinent questions as it deems fit. Frans Agius and other public officials are paid from our taxes and they have an obligation to answer.
People have a need to know. Journalists have a right to tell.
By calling off the interview the parliamentary secretary has simply allowed arrogance to take over. MaltaToday will not bow in front of such arrogant behaviour from people who should know better.
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