Italian minister suggests turning Gozo into 'ecological island'

Alternattiva Demokratika yesterday unveiled its energy policy, emphasising the need for efficiency, clean energy and economic sustainability.

The document was launched in the presence of Italian Environment Minister and Green Party president Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio.

The party's spokesman on energy, Ralph Cassar, said the policy should serve to prime the discussion on reducing Malta's dependence on fossil fuels as soon as possible.

Its main proposals include raising the efficiency of power plants, currently at a low 32 per cent, through a modernisation programme; phasing out incandescent lamps over five years with a programme to distribute energy-saving lamps to every household to kick-start their uptake and a target of 50,000 new solar water heaters over the next five years through grants, VAT refunds and low interest loans.

An investment on the government's part would pay back through reduced energy use and, therefore, less consumption of fossil fuels.

The draft document also lists a target of 5,000 installations of photovoltaic systems on houses and apartments over the next five years.

"The state should incentivise the uptake of such systems by setting a favourable rate for the purchase of the extra electricity these systems generate," AD said.

A serious effort is needed to enforce energy efficiency regulations in construction. The use of solar water heaters in new buildings should become compulsory, the document says.

The installation of a land-based wind farm, with four to five 750kW turbines, is also being proposed.

While the current cost of electricity generation at source (excluding distribution expenses) is estimated at 5c per unit, the cost of a unit from wind is 2c.

Negotiations should be carried out with industry for the setting up of a fund to finance energy-saving and clean energy projects, the policy suggests.

The programme could be funded through a slight increase in the heavily subsidised rate paid by industry for electricity. The advantage for industry would be that the extra amount paid would be reinvested to help reduce energy consumption and for the uptake of renewable energy technology that would lead to a cut in energy bills.

The policy also calls for the immediate implementation of the 1997 Appledore report recommendation to convert part of the drydocks into a solar panel manufacturing facility.

Creating a market for renewables and energy-efficient technologies would have economic and social benefits, reducing economic uncertainty, creating jobs and economic activity, with the added benefit of pollution reduction, Mr Cassar said.

Mr Pecoraro Scanio praised the precision of the 10 points raised in the AD policy, emphasising the use of solar energy.

The minister suggested turning Gozo into an "ecological island", which would promote eco-tourism - the future of the industry.

Italy's long-standing collaboration with Malta could grow to incorporate sustainable development on the island. Gozo provided the ideal environment for such a project, not being too densely populated, he said.

Such initiatives were being taken on small Italian islands, which were being made totally independent of fossil fuels for the generation of energy, he said.

Even if Gozo reduced its dependency on fossil fuels by 50 per cent, with a goal for total independence in the future, it was a step in the right direction, Mr Pecoraro Scanio said.

A project between Italy, Malta and Tunisia to develop whale-watching in the Mediterranean - an area between the three countries - was in the pipeline, with technical talks scheduled for July in Rome, and in October in Malta.

The idea is to have a protected area for whales, dolphins and sharks that would also serve as a tourist attraction.