Power consumption

Public Investments Minister Austin Gatt is reported to have told Jason Azzopardi in a reply to a parliamentary question that reverse osmosis plants consumed 5.39 per cent of energy output between August 2003 and last July (December 9).

To a person like myself who is certainly not up to date in these matters, this is nothing new. Everyone knows how these plants consume a lot of energy although I cannot imagine what we would do without them.

Would it not therefore be sensible to get the energy they need, or part of it, through solar panels even if these are expensive to install?

While on the subject, would it not also make practical sense to have all or a good part of the energy requirements of the new and rather expensive Mater Dei Hospital coming from the sun, of which we have an abundance for free?