The Malta Catholic Action (AKM) recently installed 98 solar panels on the roof of its oratory in Mġarr. This is AKM’s second such project. Five years ago, it installed 38 PV panels at its premises in Birkirkara, which is used by its youth section Żgħażagħ Azzjoni Kattolika (ŻAK).

The organisation said it felt the need to be proactive in making the world a better place and was taking action to ensure that while providing its services it impacted the environment as little as possible. It added that this was in line with what Pope Francis called ‘our Common Home’ in the encyclical Laudato Si’ about man’s impact on the earth and the need to safeguard the environment and ensure sustainability in every way possible. AKM said the project was another small step to ensure that the work carried out by the Church and its members reflects the spirit of Pope Francis’s words.

AKM said it hoped that through this project and other similar investments, it would in the near future be able to contribute financially to continue providing its services to children, young people and adults.

According to Eurostat, 7.2 per cent of the energy consumed in Malta was originating from renewable sources in 2017, one of the lowest three EU countries when the average within the bloc was 17.5 per cent.

AKM said it hoped the project would contribute to help Malta reach its target of obtaining 10 per cent of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.