Malta’s airport to start electrification by 2029

Malta International Airport must begin providing fixed ground electricity for stationary aircraft by 2029, according to a draft policy on alternative fuels published for consultation.

Today, aircraft are parked on remote stands without aerobridges, and no ground electricity available. The new requirement aims to reduce reliance on auxiliary power units, cutting emissions and noise at the airport.

The targets are outlined in Malta’s Draft National Policy Framework for Alternative Fuels Infrastructure for Transport 2025, which sets plans for road, maritime, and aviation sectors to align Malta with the EU directive. The document was released for consultation to gather feedback from stakeholders.

Aviation accounted for around 40% of the nation’s transport energy consumption in 2019, and MIA recorded over 50,000 aircraft movements that year.  

Infrastructural works required

The 2029 deadline is only a partial milestone. Full electrification will require major upgrades to most aprons. Existing Aprons 8 and 9, and the planned Apron X, must be retrofitted with buried electrical cabling reaching the nose gear area of each stand. Significant investment is required in aviation-grade electrical ground equipment, distribution substations, and switchgear to manage the increased load.

Electrifying airside operations is expected to more than double the total power requirement for existing aprons, with Apron X alone needing an additional 630 kVA. A new 132kV Distribution Centre will also be developed by Enemalta, with discussions ongoing to secure capacity and investment.

Due to operational constraints, full implementation on all remote stands may not occur before 2040. Hydrogen is not expected to play a significant role in aviation in the near term due to space and technical constraints, leaving airport electrification as the immediate focus.

EV infrastructure

Road transport is also adapting. Publicly accessible EV charging points are set to rise from 372 today to 1,572 by 2025. This promise reiterated the pledge made in the last budget. Although a four-fold increase, this remains a fraction of the 6,500 points targeted by 2030. Fully electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids together make up only about 3% of Malta’s licensed vehicle fleet. Growth has been supported by grants, registration and licence fee exemptions, preferential parking, and lower off-peak electricity tariffs.

Publicly available charging points currently amount to about three per kilometre of the TEN-T network. By 2030, an estimated 6,500 points will be required. For heavy-duty vehicles, 10 high-power points exist, with further demand assessments due in 2026. Planning permits, grid capacity, and energy flexibility remain ongoing challenges.

Maritime sector

Malta’s maritime sector is also adapting. Shore-side electricity, previously absent from Valletta and Marsaxlokk ports, has been introduced at the Grand Harbour’s Northern Quays and Boiler Wharf through a €33.2 million project operational in July 2024. A €44 million extension covering the Southern Grand Harbour, including ro-ro and ro-pax terminals, is due to start in 2025.

Marsaxlokk’s Freeport Terminals NQT 1 and NQT 2 are being equipped with high-voltage connections for container ships at a cost of €29 million. These investments position Malta to meet the EU’s 2030 deadline for shore-side electricity at TEN-T core ports, though implementation remains limited to specific zones.

Other alternative fuels

Other alternative fuels, including LNG and hydrogen, continue to play a minimal role in Malta. Studies referenced in the 2025 draft found LNG unfeasible for road transport, and hydrogen infrastructure is largely impractical given spatial constraints, population density, and uncertain supply.