Solar farms set to cater for half of Malta’s 2020 renewable energy targets

Solar energy farms are set to cater for half of Malta’s renewable energy targets for 2020, producing 190MWp over a scale of 2.7km2 of solar farms. The ambitious target would see solar farms producing around 5% of Malta’s 10% renewable energy target.

The rest is expected to be generated through the use of biofuels, heat pumps, waste energy and solar water heaters.

READ MORE Wind farms scrapped for solar energy

A new proposed policy framework published by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) and the Ministry for the Energy provides guidance for the location of new solar farms while identifying design criteria and mitigation measures to address their potential impact.

The policy has been launched for consultation until 13 February 2015.

According to Forward Planning assistant director Joseph Scalpello, MEPA received 72 submissions. Following an assessment exercise of these submissions, the authority calculated that there is just under 0.7km2 of potential development of solar farms which could – theoretically – accommodate around 50MWp of PVs and would contribute by almost a third of the projected PV capacity necessary to meet the EU targets.

Quarry sites and large rooftops marked the majority of submissions.

The proposed policy document defines a solar farm as a sizeable commercial installation a footprint larger than 1,000m2, not usually related to residential development, for the purpose of renewable energy generation by means of photovoltaic technology.

“Around 4% of the current use of renewable energy was made possible thanks to government schemes. In the coming months, the Energy Ministry is expected to announce further grants for PVs,” Ronald Mizzi, permanent secretary at the energy ministry, said.

Arguing that a number of renewable energy don’t apply for Malta, he reiterated that the government was – at this stage – excluding wind farms from its energy mix.

“A number of studies have shown that wind farms may not be feasible and sustainable for our use. Malta will continue considering all options but solar-based energy appears to be the best option,” Mizzi said.

Some 16,000 solar systems are installed on domestic and industrial rooftops, generating some 40MWp.

Planning parliamentary secretary Michael Falzon encouraged environmental NGOs to take part in the consultation process, noting that the policy was not only environmental friendly but would also serve to rehabilitate a number of areas, such as quarries in disuse.

Falzon also praised the collaboration between the ministries and entities in the drafting of the report.

“The policy will address a lacuna that has existed for years whereby landowners applying for large farms didn’t have any policies or guidelines to follow,” he said.

There are currently three pending applications for large scale farms with a footprint larger than 1,000m2 .

Following the consultation process, the administration would then follow the normal procedures and issue an expression of interest.

Malta, Scalpello added, already had two solar farms in the private sector: one at Medserv and the other at the Malta International Airport.