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James Debono
The Malta Resources Authority has issued calls for interest in offshore wind projects, but whose technology does not exist to operate such wind farms at the depths proposed by the MRA.
The MRA has excluded all sites less than 20 metres deep after the Malta Tourism Authority protested that all near-shore sites are no-go areas due to a negative impact on tourism.
Throughout the world, offshore wind farms are constructed at depths of less than 20 metres. MRA chief executive Antoine Riolo has acknowledged that no such wind farms exist, but mentioned that ongoing research is being carried out in Calabria, Italy.
Despite the urgent need for Malta to reduce its complete dependency on oil, the options being considered could result in further procrastination. Professor Edward Mallia, a lecturer in the physics department at the University of Malta, is sceptical that the new call for interest will result in concrete results in the near future.
“This is a way of saying that we are doing something even if in reality we are opting for a solution which cannot be considered realistic in the immediate future.”
The government had already decided that offshore wind farms were not a feasible option before 2010. In fact in its report posted to the European Commission in November 2005, offshore wind farms are deemed as unfeasible before 2010.
The report quoted studies on offshore wind farms carried out by the MRA which “highlighted that offshore wind farms are not considered a realistic option for development by 2010.”
The cost of producing offshore wind energy is bound to be higher than producing it on land. While it costs EUR1,000 to produce one kilowatt of energy on land, it costs EUR2,500 to produce the same amount of energy on offshore sites deeper than 10 metres.
Mallia warns that the cost of producing energy at depths greater than 20 metres would be even greater.
Mallia does not exclude the possibility that a technology enabling the development of these wind farms at such depths could be developed by applying technologies used in oil rigs. However, he is not expecting any such developments in the very near future.
Since Malta will be the first country in the world to use this technology it will be expected to pay dearly as costs reflect demand, and there is little demand so far for this new technology. Costs on maintenance are also bound to be greater.
According to the MRA, the energy produced by the farm would then be sold to Enemalta at fixed tariffs. The investment cost would be recovered within eight or nine years.
Although the offshore option is more costly than land-based or near-shore options, the government has made blanket exclusion on land-based wind farms and therefore its only option was to explore the potential of offshore wind farms.
According to Riolo, land-based wind farms were excluded due to the country’s small size, high population density and the visual impact.
Prof Mallia questions the wisdom of this decision, arguing that the case for near-shore and land-based wind farms has been dismissed in a shoddy manner. “Once again the government is opting for a mega-project while excluding the potential of a mosaic of smaller scale solutions.”
Mallia also points out that opting for 5 megawatt rotors, the MRA is opting for a grand scale solution which is not used anywhere in the world.
While Mallia admits land wind farms cause visual intrusions and have an impact on land use, he points out the impact on land use would be limited to the footprint of each turbine. “In countries like Germany, one finds wind farms on agricultural land.”
Mallia argues that instead of dismissing the idea of land wind farms, the government should actively consider the idea of smaller 850 KW turbines. “Although such plants would produce less energy than larger projects, by setting the ball rolling we would enable consumers, experts and operators to get used to renewable energy sources.”
Furthermore, a small number of such rotors can be operated before the Lm65million Sicily-Malta cable is in place as they would not destabilise the grid.
On the other hand, according to Riolo the massive offshore investment depends on connecting Malta to Sicily. Land wind farms have a lifespan of 25 years and following that the land can be fully restored to its former use.
He also points out that although wind farms cause some noise, this noise is comparable to other ambient noise. “A 1 megawatt turbine which is 200 metres away from you produces 49 decibels of noise, less than the 60 decibels produced by a vacuum cleaner which is 30 metres away.”
Prof Mallia is also sceptical on the decision to exclude all near-shore sites. In the report sent to the European Commission in November the Sikka l-Bajda site at Armier was identified as the main potential site. The Malta Tourism Authority had objected to the site even if it is presently already used for bunkering.
jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt
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