Seven companies have been selected by the government to build 'solar farms' able to supply some 1,500 homes with solar energy.

The companies are investing €5million in the installation of 14,000 photovoltaic panels, which will be mainly on rooftops, Energy Minister  Michael Farrugia told a press conference on Wednesday.

He said that the government is supporting the renewable energy industry, which is crucial for Malta to make significant progress into becoming carbon neutral by 2050. 

The solar panels will generate 7 gigawatt hours of electricity a year, enough to power 1,500 homes with renewable energy. 

The seven companies  are Bubaqra Solar Farm LTD with a capacity of 960 kWp (kilowatt peak), Malta International Airport with 750 kWp, Malta Energy LTD with three separate bids of 658 kWp, 677 kWp and 610 kWp, Omega Foundation with 420 kWp and ISD Co.LTD with a peak of 453.87 kWp. 

Farrugia said that the seven companies were chosen in an open call on the basis of the best feed-in tariff rate they could provide, in order for the Government to get more value for its money. 

The feed-in tariff is paid out to producers of electricity through solar PV panels for the amount of electricity generated and exported into the grid. 

Of the seven bidders, Bubaqra Solar Farm LTD will be paid €0.12,70 per kWh (kilowatt hour),Malta International Airport €0.13 per kWh, Malta Energy LTD €0.13,90 per kWh, Omega Foundation LTD €0.13,90 per kWh and ISD Co.LTD €0.14 per kWh.

The solar farms are expected to be completed in two years.

Asked what uptake of land the panels are expected to take, the minister said that the panels will be mostly built on rooftops and talks are ongoing to provide space for the panels on government properties, such as schools.

The government is considering a similar scheme for solar farms that have an output up to one megawatt. 

Malta announced its current Solar Farm Policy in 2017 and the first solar farm farm was commissioned in July of that year.