Briguglio slams government and Opposition and rubbishes Sargas

Alternattiva Demokratika Chairperson Michael Briguglio said that AD was always opposed to heavy fuel oil because more sustainable energy was required.

“Whilst the Nationalist Government has opted for dirty fossil fuels, mainly heavy fuel oil, and is not giving the required priority to renewable energy, the Labour opposition is resorting to energy populism by promising technological quick-fixes such as Carbon Capture Storage, which is intimately ties to dirty fossil fuel industries in coal and oil,” Briguglio said.

Sargas, the company proposing carbon capture storage as a zero emission energy source for Malta, had used the support of Norwegian-based environmental group Bellona Foundation to back their claims of cleaner energy.

“Sargas has attempted to depict itself green by referring to the support of so-called ‘environmental’ NGO Bellona, which is actually sponsored by fossil fuel companies. Apart from this, Sargas have argued that the carbon from Malta would be exported to Denmark but the new Danish government are not going to accept the carbon storage plan according to Briguglio who said that the green Danish government is focusing on renewable energy.

“It is crucial to know that CCS is a technology still in its infancy and there have already been some major disasters as a result of leakage which is a major concern. It is because of the Stockholm plant that the Danish government has refused to accept the carbon store as proposed by Sargas. Apart from this, the technology depends on coal meaning that the technology would just postpone the problem,” Briguglio said.

Briguglio explained that oil and coal will initially reduce the cost of bills but will continue to increase and Malta will once again be at the whim of the market.

“Malta should invest in renewable energy and the government should shift to gas as soon as possible since it is a better transitional source of energy than heavy fuel oil or coal. The government needs to increase its investment in clean renewable energy to reach the 10% target committed with the EU by 2020,” Briguglio said.

The 10% target is actually one of the lowest in the EU with other countries targeting 20% by 2020 although experts have tried to increase the target to 30%.

“Gas would just be a transitional energy and it does not come without problems of its own. One needs to just look at the geopolitical struggle between Russia and Ukraine. We would still be dependent on others for power,” Briguglio explained.

Briguglio also said that he does not believe electricity bills could be halved no matter the guarantees because of the hidden costs and the technology itself would still be dependent on finite fossil fuels which would eventually begin to increase in costs.

“Where will the energy be stored now that the Danish government has refused the carbon storage plant. The country is already late in reducing emissions on a global level and if we keep postponing this, we are going to end up shooting ourselves in the foot,” Briguglio said.

AD's spokesman for sustainable development Carmel Cacopardo said the final decision on the whether the Delimara Power Station extension will make use of heavy fuel oil or gasoil will be made on Monday by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.

“The best short-term solution would be gas which would reduce carbon emissions by 30 to 40% but this was abandoned because the government did not develop the necessary infrastructure for it which has restricted us from using this sort of fuel energy,” Cacopardo said.

Cacopardo expanded on what was said by Cassar regarding the cost to implement the Sargas proposal and said that the company had said the cost of 7c5 per unit of electricity was only in relation to energy generation (raw cost).

Other expenses would need to be added to the payment of 7c5 per unit of electricity but the expense of the €900 million Sargas plant would need to be added pro rata to the cost of electricity units.

“Also, the Labour Party has failed to mention one thing in all this. If they decide to use the plant, what do they expect to do with the Enemalta workers? The PL have to stop their gimmicks,” Cacopardo said.

AD's spokesman for sustainable development Carmel Cacopardo said the final decision on the whether the Delimara Power Station extension will make use of heavy fuel oil or gasoil will be made on Monday by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.

“The best short-term solution would be gas which would reduce carbon emissions by 30 to 40% but this was abandoned because the government did not develop the necessary infrastructure for it which has restricted us from using this sort of fuel energy,” Cacopardo said.

Cacopardo expanded on what was said by Cassar regarding the cost to implement the Sargas proposal and said that the company had said the cost of 7c5 per unit of electricity was only in relation to energy generation (raw cost).

Other expenses would need to be added to the payment of 7c5 per unit of electricity but the expense of the €900 million Sargas plant would need to be added pro rata to the cost of electricity units.

“Also, the Labour Party has failed to mention one thing in all this. If they decide to use the plant, what do they expect to do with the Enemalta workers? The PL have to stop their gimmicks,” Cacopardo said.

The main goal would be to focus more investment toward wind and solar energy according to Briguglio but experts, such as physicist Edward Mallia have said that wind would only produce 6% of all energy required.

“Some experts have said 4% others have said 6%. Either way we cannot be totally dependent on wind. Solar energy would be Malta’s best option. The last budget proposed an investment in 400 families. It is a joke!” Briguglio said

Briguglio could not understand why the government did not force contractors to cover the roofs of Mater Dei and Smart City in solar panels.

Renewable energy would be a massive capital investment, create more energy efficiency and also create more green jobs according to Briguglio.

AD general secretary Ralph Cassar said that both the BWSC plan and the Sargas proposal require the burning of fossil fuels and burning coal would result in toxic waste which requires disposing.

Speaking on alternative forms of energy, Cassar agreed that gas was the best transitional energy source since it creates much less CO2 than both oil and coal.

“The government is attempting to justify their decision to choose the BWSC plant on the basis of cheaper electricity which will make use of heavy fuel oil which is the dirtiest fuel. Now, with Sargas, the cost discussed was only the raw cost without delving in to further expenses,” Cassar said.