Revised renewable energy strategy confirms elimination of wind energy, introduces heat pumps

To meets its 2020 renewable energy targets imposed by the EU, Malta eliminates possible use of wind energy and strongly pushes solar energy whilst introducing heat pumps and biomass imports

The revised Renewable Energy Action Plan is up for consultation until 1 December 2016
The revised Renewable Energy Action Plan is up for consultation until 1 December 2016

Malta is on target to meet its renewable energy demands imposed by the European Union: by end 2014, a 3% target was met and surpassed and is now halfway to reach the 10% required by 2020.

The Energy and Water Agency has launched the revised National Renewable Energy Action Plan for public consultation, confirming that Malta’s policy will depend strongly on the use of solar energy – accounting to over half of renewable energy dependency – and introducing biomass imports (0.2%) and heat pumps (1.6%).

Compared to the original plan launched in 2012, the new strategy reduces the use of biofuels from 2.5% to 2.2% and increases the use of PV panels from 0.7% to 4.7%. Use of solar water heating increases from 0.5% to 0.9%.

Waste-to-energy, originally planned to contribute 2.5% of total generation, has now been decreased to 0.5%, after earlier plans for a new incinerator were delayed.

A wind farm at Sikka l-Bajda, which Malta had said would contribute to 4.0% of total renewable energy, was given the authorities’ thumbs down and found to be unfeasible.

In a media briefing delivered by Ronald Mizzi – the permanent secretary within the OPM ministry – agency CEO Daniel Azzopardi and senior policy officer Sandro Lauri, it was argued that the revised plan would ensure that Malta meets its targets as laid down by the European Commission.

Mizzi delivered home the message that the launch of the revised plan was “voluntary” and not a EU requirement.

Last year, the government launched a draft policy framework for the location of new solar farms.

“The solar farm policy should be enacted in the coming weeks, after which a competitive bidding process will be launched,” Mizzi said. It is expected that the launch takes place by early next year.

The Renewable Energy Directive will focus on meeting the 27% target by creating the right conditions for renewables to thrive. Across the EU, the sector employs 1.2 million people and accounts for €138bn every year. The review of the Energy Efficiency legislation, the Commission had argued, would be about unlocking the energy savings that could kickstart the economy.

With the Slovak Presidency coming to an end in December, it will be up to Malta to start working on the new energy directives during the EU Presidency starting in January.

“The launch of the reviewed action plan is a timely approach by the government. Malta’s role during its Presidency of the European Council is to act as an honest broker,” Mizzi said, explaining that the winter package will produce a bulk of energy legislation.