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James Debono
Consultation with the public and stakeholders on Malta’s policy on renewable energy sources will start in October 2005, a spokesperson for the Ministry for Resources and Infrastructure told MaltaToday.
As oil prices take their toll on industry and consumers, dependence on fossil fuels for energy generation is leaving Malta in a vulnerable position. Yet till now, no significant portion of Malta’s energy is generated by the wind or sun.
For the past two years, the government has been waiting for the formulation of a policy on renewable energy sources.
Malta has not yet abided to the EU Directive on the promotion of the electricity produced from renewable energy adopted on the 27 September 2001.
The overall indicative target of the directive is to increase the share of renewable energy production to 12 per cent of total energy use and of renewable electricity production to 22 per cent of total electricity consumption in 2010.
A spokesperson for the Ministry for the Resources and Infrastructure confirmed that work on phase one and phase two of the strategy has been completed.
Phase one involved setting an indicative target for electricity produced from Renewable Energy Sources as a percentage of electricity consumption in 2010. But the Ministry’s spokesperson would not reveal the target.
Back in 2003, Minister Ninu Zammit had mentioned a 5 per cent target for renewable energy, as a percentage of total energy.
Phase two spells out the various policy options for reaching these goals has been completed. Phase three which has yet not been completed spells out the roadmap for the implementation of energy policies.
The Ministry’s spokesperson also told MaltaToday that the Malta Resources Authority has carried out a survey of 500 consumers to assess the general public’s perceptions on climate change and renewable energy use, their willingness to pay for supporting renewable energy sources and public opinions on best possible financing mechanisms.
“It is planned that the roadmap for the introduction of renewable sources of energy will include recommendations on legal, and regulatory aspects, fiscal, and economic aspects and administrative aspects and procedures,” the Ministry’s spokesperson told MaltaToday.
jdebono@newsworksltd.com
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