Sleeping beauty

While browsing through some old newspaper cuttings I came across the one from The Times dated May 8, 1996: Tapping Malta's Sunshine For Energy Needs. It was a time when I was involved with a Maltese/American joint venture company that manufactured solar PV modules in Malta and that was the first stand-alone PV system installed here.

That was the time that Malta should have started doing something about the energy situation and the change to alternatives. The world was preparing while we were sitting pretty and licking the sunshine.

Ten years later, we are now smack in the middle of a worldwide oil crisis with daily soaring prices and the government and Enemalta are now finally talking about alternative energy. Sleeping Beauty has woken up with the kiss of a dramatic increase in oil prices. The countries that prepared back then, now have a discount. If their generation mix is now 10 per cent alternative energy, then the increase in oil prices is affecting them 10 per cent less since alternative energy has not increased in cost.

But Malta is wiser; we have found a better solution over the years. Why invest when we can just pass the price increase on to the consumer. The consumer can do nothing about it but just sweat it out. Who said that the task of a manager is to keep a look out for the signs and act? Does this not apply to the managers of our country and our energy provider? It has taken them 10 years to start talking about it. I hope it will not take them another 10 to start acting.