Parliament has been debating the financial estimates during the past days. Opposition leader Bernard Grech has outlined his 12-pillar vision for this country’s future. Within my energy portfolio, six pillars come into play: the environment, quality of life, youths and their future, human talent, new economic sectors and agriculture.
Offshore deep-sea wind energy is the next generation for large-scale clean energy. Malta could have been at the fore of this emerging technology, creating a new economic sector and hundreds of good quality jobs. Unfortunately, disgraced former energy minister Konrad Mizzi was busy opening secret accounts in Panama when Portugal and Scotland were investing in two major offshore wind farms capable of providing energy for 36,000 homes, a third of Enemalta’s domestic accounts.
A previous Nationalist administration had undertaken studies for a wind farm at Sikka l-Bajda. By the time the planning process reached the Planning Authority in 2014, it was perplexing when I happened to be the only board member to vote in favour, as all Labour-appointed members voted against. Paradoxically, a mere few months later that same year, Mizzi was planning the corrupt Montenegro wind farm transaction. Only then did we realise the logic behind the refusal of the Sikka l-Bajda 90MW wind farm.
Turning to solar energy – there was nothing ground-breaking in the 2021 Budget measures to entice investment appetite. On the other hand, we have proposed interest-free capital investment made by private commercial companies in solar farms, particularly the numerous private roofs and their untapped potential, to help cushion the effects of the pandemic.
To the residential consumer, we have proposed increasing the basic feed-in tariff of 7c per unit generated in the post-contract period by a private residential photovoltaic installation to 10c5. It is unjust for Enemalta to pay private installations 3c less for every green unit exported to the grid in comparison with what it charges customers for every unit bought.
Renewable energy requires a political commitment beyond the typical clichés
Renewable energy requires a political commitment beyond the typical clichés. Budget 2021 has been insensitive to solar rights issues, which could provide an increase in solar energy private investments.
In this mix of renewable energy, investing in a second interconnector ought to be studied. The interconnector has proved to be a success, providing the cheapest electricity rates from clean energy sources, without any binding commitments, as opposed to the nonsensical agreement with Electrogas binding us to purchase 85 per cent of the energy generated.
The Nationalist Party has been saying since February this commitment with Electrogas is costing us €91 million more in yearly utility bills, half the cost of the €182 million invested in the interconnector.
In the transport sector, the government’s appetite for transport electrification is, at best, a lip-service exercise. The transition from ICE (internal combustion engines) to electric cars relies heavily on the existing charging pillars across Malta and Gozo. Anyone wishing to take the leap simply cannot do so without a personal garage.
The current infrastructure includes 53 charging pillars installed in 2014, following a tender published under the previous Nationalist administration. Six years down the line, not one single charging station has been installed on our streets by the energy ministry. In the absence of crucial infrastructure, a serious transition towards the electrification of personal transport will not materialise.
Once again, a scheme launched earlier this year, portrayed as a means to provide ‘preferential’ night feed-in tariff for electric car consumers, is 3c higher than the lowest price per unit of energy charged by Enemalta.
This shows a government without an iota of any political appetite that is desperately needed to achieve the green energy targets we have committed ourselves to with our European partners.
The energy sector has been, over the past months, in the headlines for the wrong reasons. As the criminal and judicial process takes its course, the sector needs a clean-up in all aspects.
Going forward, our vision for the sector is in providing the next generation with clean energy provision and that cannot go anywhere unless it is green and renewable energy.
Ryan Callus, Nationalist Party spokesperson on energy