There is a tangible solution to Malta's serious problem of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent, meaning our country could easily meet its EU allocation commitment by 2012, in a bid not to exceed 2.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions and avoid paying penalties.

It is a question of acting fast and making the most of a golden opportunity, and Norwegian clean energy group Sargas, with its new demo plant working at a full-scale coal power plant in Stockholm, has what it takes to capture more than 95 per cent of CO2, the main greenhouse gas.

Engineer Knut Boerseth, co-founder and chief technical officer at Sargas, is one of two scientific minds behind this new technology, the other being Professor Tor Christensen, who holds a Ph.D. in chemical engineering. Henrik Fleischer is the company's CEO.

Mr Boerseth, who has visited the island before, exclusively told The Sunday Times on Thursday that Malta only stands to benefit from this new CO2 'capture' technology.

"Malta is interesting because you need power, you need fresh water, and you need to market your island as a green island. My company can help you in this context."

The Sargas demo plant, which is operating in Stockholm, has already been through its first critical tests. The reason for Sargas to go for a coal-fired power plant - a bigger challenge - is because "we can burn gas, coal, and coal combined with bio-fuel".

The extensive tests carried out by Sargas with reputable partners like Siemens Power in Germany, have focused on two key issues: the first technical and more difficult part has involved the cleaning of coal from all traces of flue gas (a mixture of toxic and non-toxic gases); the second part will kick off around October 15, when together with several reputable energy industry institutions, Sargas will conduct several weeks of testing, sample taking and analysis.

Potential customers worldwide, including Malta, are then able to visit the Stockholm power plant and see how the new CO2 capture technology works .

Seeing is believing, says Mr Boerseth, who further confirms that several large energy companies are interested in a full-scale Sargas plant in countries like the USA, and are also exploring the possibility of "buying, renting, or even carrying out tests together with Sargas".

In his role as adviser to Sargas, former Finance Minister John Dalli told The Sunday Times that Malta, faced with the problem of an ongoing, increasing demand for energy, "needs more and more energy as we develop".

"And, as one moves on to the next generation of our economy, as we're doing with SmartCity, services, and the e-economy that we want to push so hard, then it's not just a question of producing the power, but of securing power production. We cannot afford failures, and that is why we need total security. This will surely solve the problem," Mr Dalli said.

"This is a unique technology, which can work well for Malta, and has the possibility of eventually giving the consumer much more stable and lower prices than what we have today, due to the nature of the systems we are using."

The suggestion by Sargas would be for Malta to have an offshore power plant, ideally built on a rig, out at sea, and the energy piped to Malta through cables.Discussing with Mr Boerseth the possibilities and set-up of this offshore power plant that would capture over 90 per cent of CO2 emissions and produce fresh water as a by-product, Mr Dalli spoke of the political, environmental and economic benefits of this type of technology.

"This would mean a big ecological plus for Malta. Our vision to have a green Malta is not just an environmental issue, but also an economic one: and this is the way to go."

The first step towards adopting Sargas' innovative CO2 capture technology would be a feasibility study that would analyse all the important factors, including, for example, the extent of gas throughput.

"The logistics are all there, it's all thought out," Mr Boerseth confirmed.

Once this study determines the exact parameters on which the investment is made, then the plant can be built and will be totally financed by the investor. The only upfront expenditure will be the cost of the feasibility study.

"With the feasibility study in hand we can then document how the system will work through the demo plant. It is more a question of adapting the demo plant to Malta and taking into consideration necessary logistics, such as how much power is needed, and how much fresh water needs to be delivered," Mr Boerseth explained.

A 200 megawatt power plant (the power can be doubled to 400 MW), which is what Sargas anticipates as a first phase for Malta (this could eliminate the Marsa power station), would produce around 150,000 m3 of distilled water every day. This fresh water, if treated, will supply Malta in abundance, so apart from capturing CO2, Malta will also benefit from a massive amount of water generation.

Prior to setting up, there also has to be an agreement with Enemalta on the price of the energy transfer from the manufacturer.

"Our calculations are that prices at which energy could roll out to the consumer would be cheaper than today. All in all, this is a viable project," Mr Dalli said.

Proposing this process together with Mr Boerseth, Mr Dalli admits it is not a decision that can be taken independently, but by all partners. "However, once Boerseth is in Malta, we want to make the country aware that there is a solution out there. We hope to invite interested parties to go, see and verify that the system truly works once the demonstration plant in Stockholm starts to operate."

"If Malta wants to act fast in grappling with the CO2 emissions problem in order to meet its commitments, then it pays us to finance the feasibility study rather than pay penalties for excessive emissions."

There is also a possibility that the actual construction of the power plant could take place at the Malta Shipyards, and all its components would be manufactured locally. Several key people at Sargas are familiar with the Malta yards from previous business there.

"This will give the Shipyards a marketing advantage, also because what is built in Malta can be sold to other European and Mediterranean locations," Mr Boerseth said.

"If Malta is one of the first with a CO2 abatement power plant, this will have a tremendous impact on the European community. Due to more limited power demand, you will turn green very rapidly."

What Sargas is presenting is not pie in the sky. The company has put together proven components that work well together. And what they're proposing is that by 2012 Malta could have most of its energy produced without CO2 emissions.

This will also save Malta having to pay penalties to the EU for excessive emissions - a golden opportunity not to be missed.

www.sargas.no