MedServ launches solar farm with 8,000 solar panels

New solar farm plugged into the grid • Video by Ray Attard

Close to €5 million were spent in the setting up of a solar farm at MedServ with a production of 2.01 megawatt-peak. The solar farm has a total of 8,000 panels spread over 20,000 square metre of roof space, with a daily average production of 9,600 kWh.

Some 3,100 metric tonnes in CO2 emissions can be saved every year.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said the government was on track for a 4.5% renewable energy target set for 2016.

"The Maltese political class has been in overdrive discussing green energy, always focusing on price issues and environment. But in the past years we have not really given enough importance to the long-term benefits of green energy," Muscat said at the launch of the project at the MedServ base at the Freeport.

Muscat said the government went for gas to run the power station because it was the lesser of all evils.

"I am here today to prove that we will keep on changing in favour of renewable energy. Despite being free and abundant, we have neglected the energy source the sun gives us," he said.

Muscat said the significant reduction in the price of PV panels has given a boost to the creation of green jobs.

MedServ chief Anthony Diacono said he was pleasantly surprised with the cooperation from several government ministers, but especially with that provided by MEPA CEO Johann Buttigieg.

"Our biggest fear was how to deal with MEPA and permits. But instead of a brick wall we found cooperation," Diacono said.