The government is planning to cover nearly 70,000 square metres of roof space on government buildings with solar panels to produce clean energy, amid rising oil prices and an impending hike in energy tariffs.
The project, being undertaken by the Resources Ministry, is expected to produce at least five megawatts of energy, enough to provide a year's worth of electricity for 1,500 households. Studies have shown that solar panels could supply up to 25 per cent of the country's energy needs in summer but that figure drops to an average of seven per cent throughout the rest of the year.
The world is facing a major problem of equating increasing energy demand with requirements for diminished carbon dioxide emissions, mainly from fossil fuels. This problem is even more acute in Malta, because electricity is also used for water production.
A spokesman for the Resources Ministry said that in the coming weeks the government would publish an expression of interest in order to set up photovoltaic panels on roofs of public buildings such as schools and departments. The private sector will be funding the initiative, which is expected to cost between €25 and €30 million.
The electricity generated will be connected to the national grid. The project, the spokesman said, would help Malta reach the 10 per cent renewable energy target. It may be extended to more rooftops in future.
Last month, Infrastructure Minister Austin Gatt told Parliament that the 20 per cent reduction of CO2 emissions would be reached in 2012 - three years earlier than the deadline imposed by the EU.
Dr Gatt said the commissioning of the new power station at Delimara in 2011 would reduce CO2 emissions by 400,000 tonnes because 140 megawatts would not be produced by the Marsa plant. A year later, when Malta hooked up with the interconnector in 2012, there would be a further reduction of 600,000 tonnes as the Marsa power station would be closed down.
He emphasised that the total reduction in CO2 emissions would amount to just over 1.1 million tonnes, which alone was the 20 per cent target established by the EU.
mxuereb@timesofmalta.com