Editorial

When, a couple of weeks ago, Parliamentary Secretary Tonio Fenech suggested in a discussion programme on television we should all save on energy he was literally shouted down by the audience. A Labour MP sitting next to him, Josè Herrera, appeared to have immediately joined in the "fun" and picked up from where the audience left off by upbraiding the parliamentary secretary over the government's waste in expenditure.

There is much to say about the government's expenditure and of the need to trim unnecessary expenses. But, sadly, both the audience and Dr Herrera missed Mr Fenech's point. Actually, Dr Herrera appeared more intent on scoring political goals than on being seen, even remotely, in backing the parliamentary secretary's call in this regard.

Judging by the audience's reaction to the call, it may be safe to assume that to their way of thinking putting unnecessary lights off, for instance, would make no difference. The truth is that it does, both to their own pockets and to the country. But the problem is that having now been accustomed to using so many lights in the homes and offices and so many electrical gadgets, many may find it hard thinking of economising on their use.

In one of two consecutive leaders carried by The Times in September, meant to create greater awareness of the rising price of oil on the international market and of the impact this was having on national economies, mention was made of a campaign that one of the giant oil companies, Chevron, launched in a bid to make consumers all over the world understand the extent of the oil supply problem today.

According to the company, for example, the world is at present consuming two barrels of oil for every barrel discovered. The fact is, the world has been finding less oil than it's been using for 20 years now. Not only has demand been soaring but the oil we've been finding is coming from places that are tough to reach.

The company argues that governments need to create energy policies that promote economically and environmentally sound development. Consumers had to demand, and be willing to pay for, some of the solutions while practising conservation efforts of their own. "Inaction is not an option. But if everyone works together, we can balance this equation. We're taking some of the steps needed to get started but we need your help to get the rest of the way."

This, then, is a situation where efforts aimed at making the best use of energy and tapping alternative sources ought to be stepped up. The government has now confirmed that studies are being made to assess the feasibility of linking up to the European grid as well as to install a pipeline, or gas storage plant, in order to introduce gas as another source for the generation of electricity.

Both possibilities have been raised, off and on, for some years now. Linking up to the European grid, for part of the consumption, would help us save on plant expansion but one would have to wait for the outcome of the studies first before discussing other considerations.

The government is at last taking a step forward in the promotion of photovoltaics and is to give a refund on the purchase of the technology. As happens in other countries, the energy supplier, in Malta's case Enemalta, is prepared to buy the excess energy generated. The next step should be a much wider promotion of the technology.