MLP calls for solar rights as a civil right

This will not be popular but it is the truth.

Malta is overpopulated. Anything beyond 2/3 stories high is symptomatic of this overpopulation. Anything higher than 2/3 stories is problematic from social and enviornmenal aspects. People are not meant to live like battery chickens. The use of a well, solar panels and windmills are hence prolematic . The national heritage/characteristic of a two storiy townhouse is being continually eroded in favour of high rise rubbish......

I have noted for many years that in the U.K. they have what is known as the RIGHT TO LIGHT. Here anyone build build next to/in front of/behind you and deprive you of SUNLIGHT.

SUNLIGHT is needed to power solar mechanisms (which have been on the market for many years)in all rooms not just the roof. Plus lack of sunlight causes depression, an established medical fact.

Considering all the above Malta is in a sorry state indeed! I nearly forgot to mention we live in a very seismeically active zone, the world's destined -to-become supervolcano is alive and well next door in Sicily, and a good earthquake would mean most of the buildings here would end up in a rubble. Ask the insurance experts!

I went to have a look at the energy saving windmill in Naxxar Road and was told that it costs around 2500 in old liri and would save approximately 200 per annum in bills. It would take me a lifetime to redeem the cost! Unfortunately I live in a block of apartments where it is impossible to install solar panels. That would mean that I am condemned to pay high bills inclusive of the high surcharge despite the 27% reduction in the price of crude oil!
Why has the governement not introduced solar energy for all yet?
Why has it not powered Mater Dei Hospital with solar energy?

The mind boggles

We spend our time cogitating and arguing and the solution is so simple really!
Elementary I would say

Few are considering the considerable reductions in CO2 emissions that wholesale adoption of renewable sources of energy would bring about. We should not be looking at the issue in terms of £-s-d as government is short-sightedly doing. When Germany decided to wean itself off nuclear energy (a policy which now looks like being reversed), it started giving massive incentives to boost the production of renewable energy. The upsurge of wind, solar, biomass and biofuels energy in Germany is the result. Of course, Germany's huge expenditure is amply set-off by the advantage of having indigenous sources of clean energy which help it meet its commitments under the Kyoto protocol.

These factors do not seem to be taken into consideration by our policy-makers. By all accounts, we are going to face a severe energy crisis as demand increases with the mega SmartCity project adding to the strains on the national grid. Government's reply is limited to the commissioning of a 100MW cable to Sicily. Yet, it would make sense, especially from a strategic and environmental point of view, to incentivate local production of renewable energy and encourage energy efficiency in our homes and buildings.

@E. Cordina

it is very easy to explain how germany managed to reduce its CO2 footprint by 16% from 1990. West- and East Germany unified in 1989. East Germany had a large coal and iron industry, huge brown coal powerplants, etc. After the unification all those industries went bankrupt and closed down.

Without the bankrupt east and the restructureing of the east german industry Germanys CO2 footprint would have increased!

Ref. my short mathematical contribution. In order not to mislead students I missed the square for A it should be
-A x -A = +A2.
This correction is to preempt any remark

I was a solar sceptic and always thought that Solar Heating was a gimmick as you hear so many different arguments for and against. I have eventually installed a good system and over two years I halved my Electricity Bill! I

replaced my 2 x 80L electric hot water systems with a 210L Solar System giving me an additional 50L of free hot water and, at today's cost of electricity, I reckon that pay back is just over 54 months!

And NO I am not in the Solar Heating Business and I would seriously suggest that in addition to the Lm100 grant the Government make some easy soft loans available to those who cannot afford to purchase outright. It will make such a difference to the future electricity demand!

PROSIT MLP. As an independent I just found a more compelling reason to vote Labour. Ofcourse the PN wont implement this suggestion. It would upset there developer friends.

@Nigel Fenech: i regret to inform you that you are not able to discuss an issue on a blog. for an issue to be discussed there is no need to compare like with like. we need to discuss the issue of use of renewable energy in malta. since you seem to be an expert on PN policy, could you be so kind as to submit the achievements in Malta, under 18 years of PN government, in the use of renewable energy. Compare Malta with Cyprus, Germany, Spain at least and come up with concrete figures. Malta needs people who are able to be innovative and creative. Malta needs objective people who understands what needs to be done and do things. We do not need bla bla bla. we have heard more than enough rethoric.

People let us work together to bring change where it is needed. We cannot allow our small country to fall behind. We are losing our competitiveness. We need to reduce big government. We cannot allow financial wastage and big deficits. Malta will soon be shown the red card by the EU.

WAKE UP MALTA! It doesn't matter which political party discussess it or makes a simple suggestion, the main thing is that there is discussion. It is the children's future not the current lot of politicians or other bystanders. Such short-sightedness gets you nowhere. And as far as big business and governemnt ministries, well it's all about profits! Remember, no pain no gain! If you think the current ideas are wrong, stand for parliament and give it all one big shake. Nothing is cheap in the beginning but you need to make a start somewhere.

@P Agius. No, buying a solar water heater would not stop others erecting more floors next to you, but like the right to claim compensation if a neighbour uses your wall (l-appogg) higher buildings casting shadows should compensate tenants of adjacent buildings lying in the shadows. Legislation should still look into this and come up with a formula for compensation as I had suggested in my letter in The Times of Saturday 16th of February 2008 "blocking the Sun". Higher compensations should be contemplated to tenants already having installed solar collecting devices.
@Kevin Borg wrote "....property development is one of the major cash generators of the country. When developement takes place an array of people work to produce it and hence gain an income." The current glut of empty properties is not generating cash but those who were sitting on mountins of cash used it as an 'investment'. No new wealth has been generated especially for those that got on the band wagon late. Yes this cash has given work to an array of people, but would it not have been better if those people were doing useful work as otherwise they could also build stairways to Haven!

I fully agree with Leo
We should all remember when some years ago there was the talk of doing Solar Hot Water Heaters at the Drydocks What happened ? Why was this idea scrapped or was it that someone taught that we as Maltese are not able to build these Solar Heaters

Another one that MEPA should implement on every application is that it should leave adacquate space on top of Flats so that who lives there at least will have enough space to put a solar hot water heater not a WASHROOM turned into a PENTHOUSE later on

.I myself have had a solar hot water heater for the past 11 years and i certainly do recomend it

Californians could make use of the best solar energy systems because it is much cheaper for them to invest in solar equipment.

Germans have been using wind energy for these past 5 years or so. I can't understand why the maltese government is saying that wind energy is not viabile. If you travel from Frankfurt to Erfurt via train, you will be amazed by the number of wind turbines that are installed along the line.

If our government really wanted us to use solar energy, the first thing he would do is to REMOVE completely VAT from such products and gives subsidies too. Otherwise, such products will never be utilized in Malta unfortunately.

@Nigel Fenech. Your maths are faulty . If I am right a negative times a negative results in a positive. Do you agree? If Yes? Say sorry for once
- A x -A = +A
and the famous (a-b)2

I am of the opinion that renewable energy can only account to a very small percentage of the total energy production. The costs involved are too high for the amount of energy generated. I think, more investment and more motivation in developing nuclear fusion makes more sense.

The fact is that such a proposal shall not increase the use of solar/wind energy but just safeguard the tight of people to have the available sunlight. For those that are continuing to propagate the fallacy that alternative energy is free energy, in the case of Malta the following are the facts:
1. average cost per unit (including 95% surcharge) is of around 9 euro cents;
2. A 2 Kwh system (solar) costs around Euro10000 (cheapest)
3. Daily hours of useful sunshine - 4.5hrs - total daily production - 9 Kw (9 Units) - actual cost form Enemalta - 81 Euro Cents daily - so pay back = 34 years - more than the lifetime of the panels!

In Germany, each unit costs around 18 Euro Cent, so everything being equal (not so - actual daily sunshine slightly less, but then the air temperature is lower, making the photovoltaic more efficient, and the whole unit costs less than 10000 Euro), the payback time is of around 17 years. This is apart from the fact that the utilities pay more for the units produced than consumed. Thus one ends with a profit.

I have been following alternative sources of energy for many years and so I will give my final contribution on this subject. Some years ago I had been invited to a Leadership Conference in Washington DC. One of the speakers was a professor from Berkeley University who lectured on Solar energy. I discussed the subject with him at length because of a very revealing experience he mentioned . He said that a successful solar pilot project had been installed for an Indian community of 2 million people.The project was called the "Peaking Power Project". That meant that power was colleacted all the time from the panels but would only kick in when consumption would be reaching its peak,. I brought full details of the project to the PS for Energy as a suggestion for the power station. . At the risk of repeating myself, because I have written this story before, the project was simply ignored. The excuse was that solar panels required a lot of space . I didn't think so. I felt then and stil do now that the suggestion had come from the wrong side of the divide.

@charlo magro,
I perfectly agree with you. The most flagrant case in point recently has been the discussion about the vote to 16 year olds in local council elections. When Joseph Muscat came up with it, all the usual PN simpathisers ridiculed it and branded it as a nothing. Then MZPN said that originally it was their idea. At that point the usual score of PN bloggers, swallowed thier tongue or changed their opinion within the same blog space!
But then again... this time they may be right. The PN is very much pro active environment wise. Their formidable idea of the free energy saving lamps works wonders. I have them at home and my electricity meter seems to have gone full ahead slow! Oh no I forgot ! My free energy saving lamps have not been provided free by Gonzi but by buying a particular brand of washing powder from one of the local supermarkets. Indeed the soap making manufacturers have given me free what GonziPN had promised me but is still thinking about it.

@ Nigel Fenech

Your comments show how uninformed you are about the Condominium Act the meaning of condomini and civil law. To date, fixing solar equipment on the roof is not a right particularly when roofs are retained in full ownership by the original owner.

@ IM Dingli

As to your last comments it is absolutely not correct to put alternative energy and energy saving issues only a responsibility of Governments.

Energy saving and alternative energy measures are a "duty" and responsibility for all.

AAA white goods, double glazing, the removal of disused antennea, the conservation of energy loss through continuous use of A/c in homes and offices, the better use of artificial light and energy saving lights. The use of water heaters and PV panels, as well as better use of water in domestic use are all personal responsibilities and duties for each of us.

As to Government measures on the environment may in recent actions I suggest a few:
incentives on the use of PV, which should be increased
Incentives on the use of Water heaters.
No/lower registration tax on hybrid/battery operated vehicles
the introduction of offshore wind farming as declared by Government recently
the regeneration and cleaner use of gases from lanfills
the tisfija ta drenagg projects
These are just a few measures which are bound to increase with close to 300 Million Euros going srtaight to our environment from the EU funds for 2007-2013

It is a shame that a small archipelago like ours is still completely dependant on imported sources of energy,when we are blessed with an unlimited clean resource which we choose to ignore . The oil price hike should at least serve to make us concious of our energy dependency on fuel producing countries.This total dependancy renders us very economically vulnerable to say the least.IT is high time that we start implimenting a thorough policy of encouraging and guiding knowledgeably a changeover to using renewable,clean energy available to us.Other mediterranean countries like Spain and cyprus have taken the plunge and are succeeding.WE have to do the same and better. The political parties should get to gether and review our energy policies without further delay . Like any issue directly or indirectly related to the environment partisan politics should not weigh down the discussion or the implimentation . For the sake of our country and countrymen we have to act .... and fast.

Please don't be too conservative against all new progressive proposals, or against any proposal Labour comes forward with. Looking forward solar energy is one of the solutions to save our planet and our future generations whatever the cost.
Good proposal Onor Brincat.

So according to Leo, all I would need to stop anyone around me from builing higher than me is to buy a small solar panel. Great ... who would need MEPA than? No wonder the mess we had with the CET legislation !!!

@ Nigel Fenech

A lot of the comments seen within various blogs on this website depict MLP as ‘sitting on the fence’ and not vouching their opinion.

On the other hand, when MLP tries to give its input, we have people commenting about the fact that it is no news or that it has been already suggested by PN, AN, AD etc.

PN have been in government approximately 20 years now, can you please point out what has been done (not done not proposed) in respect to alternative sources of energy? I can only think about a reduced importation tax on products related to alternative sources of energy and the rebate on the Enemalta application for electricity meters (first time installation) if you purchase a solar water heater.

With the growing trend of building multi storey buildings to house apartments and a penthouse on the top floor, there is now way for solar water heaters to be installed basically due to the limited space available on the roof tops.

Alternative energy at this stage should be addressed by the government for the industry rather than the home users, especially new projects which are under construction.

For the interest of bloggers I suggest you read a synopsis of the Solar Rights Act ;

http://www.solarwinds-energy.com/html/ca__civil_code_714.htm.

Textually:

It is the policy of the State of California to promote and encourage the use of solar energy systems and to remove regulatory obstacles to their use. The California Solar Rights Act (Section 714 of the Civil Code) was enacted in 1978 to ensure that any covenant, restriction, or condition contained in any deed or other contractual restriction, which affects the sale or value of real property, does not limit the installation or use of a solar energy system.
California residential and commercial developers of new construction typically incorporate Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&Rs) into property purchase and sale agreements. CC&Rs are written to ensure a consistent physical appearance within property areas during the time when new housing or commercial units are constructed and sold. After all the new units are sold, homeowner associations (HOA) or business property owner associations (BPA) take on the task of enforcing CC&Rs to control architectural modifications to the properties. The California Solar Rights Act is intended to remove obstacles to solar installations on properties regulated by CC&Rs and to encourage system installations."

Che trovatura MLP!!

People are shooting down alternative energy options (wind, solar) by saying they are not feasible. Can they then please explain how since 1990 Germany has managed to reduce it's CO2 emissions by 16% through such initiatives? In the same period the US increased it's emissions by 18%. With the proper incentives and such options connected to the grid IT IS FEASIBLE.

Constructive and positive thinking and not even 'outside the box' stuff either.
Why doesn't government negotiate realistic payments for Photovoltiac contributons to national grid?
Why can't we require MEPA to ensure citizens 'solar' rights by rejecting planning applications that removes direct sunlight from another citizens roof/solar installation?
Why isn't thermal wall insulation included in the government building grant scheme?
Why isn't rainwater harvesting on all buildings, especially commercial ones, mandatory and the law requiring adequate sized water storage wells enforced?
Why can't government admit their concept of deepwater offshore windfarms is economically unviable given the technology isn't proven.
Why didn't government require Italy to provide a Malta spur to the natural gas pipeline to transit Malta's national waters - oversight or incompetance or both or ?
Why are certain solar heater's and photovoltaic products sold in Malta when they are not suited to and inefficient in our climate - Malta Standards Authority answers?
Why does government apparantly refuse to enable research into the economic feasibility of employing dried human waste products to fuel a pyrolysis electricity generating plant - 400,000 persons plus 1.2million visitors per annum makes quite a lot of fuel?
There's lots more if know where to look.

@ IM Dingli.

Sorry...but the proposal came from a political party. It is not a question of partisanship. All I said are the following points from and environmental and political perspective:

1Mr Brincat's suggestions is a branded nothing as we already have this right;
2Is that all that labour can spell out for alternative energy solutions
3the solar rights act of California has been a "civil" right in malta for a long time.
4I am sure that MLP did not see the Solar Rights Act before expressing itself but came from a self annointed guru.

@ Jimmy Magro

5Comparing like with like is not partisanship. The PN government is pro environment and has and is still impementing pro sustainable policies for the common good.
6If a blog is enough for labour to put the environment agenda up, then that means that one cannot even see his own limitations.

This concept is rather revolutionary in Malta - It worked for California where land mass is much larger than Malta. However, in resricted zones like Malta, even building a room would infringe someone else's right to Solar Energy. This is a real issue already affecting the solar water heaters trade were people who do not have access to free solar energy on their roof (eg low buildings sandwiched between 2 high neighbouring buildings) are unable to install solar water heaters.

Let us not put our heads in the sand and hope that this issue will go away - we are only a law court case away from enacting this right..

One final point - why are people always forgetting tht solar energy use is available cheaply? Tube solar water heaters are highly efficient and provide all year round hot water -we do not need to wait for any expensive pie in the sky technology to harness solar energy. Cyprus have a policy whereby solar water heating is a mandatory requirement - why has this not been enacted in Malta??

I would like to comment on the issue putting order to the priority for feasible energy alternative:
1) 1kw Generator being wind / Photovoltiac(about 4-5times price of wind turbine) or Windturbine ( Euro 2300 average). This makes it completely unfeasible ie break even in about 20 year which is the lifetime of equipment )
2) First Step is checking feasibility study ie currently not feasible
3) Incentive by gov is 25 % of initial cost up to 100 Lm still not feasible
4) Government has to increase subsidy to make it at least feasible regain investement in 10 years
5) Resulting in increase in renewable energy / reduction of reliance on fuel and powerstation
6) Review laws to safeguard government investment and public

Please also note that to make wind turbines feasible you need a constant 10m/s wind which on our roofs we don't have so we need to rely on Larger Offshore windturbines. When it comes to photovoltic current technology is simply not feasible.

why is it every time a labour mp and vice versa comes up with an idea, supporters from the opposite direction always tend not to agree? this is amazing over here in malta! what amazes me most is that we call ourselves devoted christians but that's not the case when it comes to politics.
this country is sick my dear friends and its up to us to cure it.

@ Nigel Fenech

The matter of the subject is related to alternative energy but you had to include politics into the conversation.

For several reasons I fully agree with Mr. Leo Brincat. Sure if such implementation will be adhered everybody will benefit. But for some seems, they prefer to praise their party in government at all cost, and happily continue paying this massive fuel surcharge. Do they realise that such issue play a part in our daily fuel costs? Also seems they forgot the time frame we have, to reduce pollution from our power stations, and if we don’t achieve the standards implemented on us from E.U. we all have to pay the consequences.
So let be reunited on every issue that is for the good sake of the Maltese and these Islands, and to make our utmost from this resource as soon as possible.
By keeping everything on paper, and for propaganda before a general election nothing will be gained.

the fact that Leo Brincat has created this blog is already positive in itself. i hope that malta will have a serious renewable energy policy and citizen friendly policy by the time oil has ran out.
i appeal for the bloggers and unite together in one simple target: let us get the responsible agency to provide a financial package to encourage the use of renewable energy; and get the most conservative organisation on earth - MEPA - to have a system in place whereby applications for the installation of renewable energy systems by citizens are approved within 48 hrs.

people grow up and see the big picture rather these petty and childish arguemnts one gets to read on these blogs. use your grey amtter to bring change and not polarisation. fight the establishment and not the people coming out with positive ideas.

look at the forest and not at the tree. let us discuss the issue and not the messenger. think big. and see the big picture. Ask yourself: what do we have now? NOTHING.

May I ask what will happen to the solar panels at the end of their working life?
That is to say, all the solar panels that would be used on roofs of thousands of homes in Malta and Gozo?

May I ask what energy will have to be used in order to break down the solar pannels and batteries used, as well as other equipment?

Please, don't answer by a simple 'well-they'will-be-recyled!' kind of answer. HOWWWWW? Details please.

What energy will be used during overcast days?

I am very interested in alternative energy. But I need answers.

Few are realising what such law implies. Lets say you want to erect another floor on your already existing property. I am not saying a high riser just another floor for a couple of extra rooms on your already existing small maisonette. In the process your neighbour complains that you will be blocking part of the sunlight on his roof area and hence using this law will stop your development. Doesn't this mean that your right to enlarge your property is being restricted?

Many will point their finger, as already some did, towards the developer and how this law will help in stopping this hungry beast of a developer! What many are not realising is that property development is one of the major cash generators of the country. When developement takes place an array of people work to produce it and hence gain an income.

As I already said in an earlier post this is another pie in the sky baked by the MLP. And by this I am not saying that the counter part in goverment is fairing well. The Goverment should introduce as soon as possible incentives and tax deductions when investing in solar energy production.

The move is funny. Let us have the solar panels first as popular alternative cheap energy. leo is justg trying to make a lot of noise - but results are nowhere be seen. It is a case of trying to do something without really trying.

I am apolitical and really do not care who comes up with an idea to save fuel imports and costs to the individual and the Country as a whole.

One idea may well lead to another and all ideas to obtain power from renewable sources are excellent - hence a series of wind turbines and solar panels should be installed along the Coastroad to link up with the energy from the "mountain".

How easy is it to obtain planning permission for installation of private wind turbines and solar panels on buildings - Incentives like fast track MEPA free approval and reduced or VAT free equipment and installation costs would go a long way to promoting the use of these items.

@ Nigel Fenech....erm usually the sun doesn't hit homes next to high-rise buildings...as long as I know Labour didn't say that it will implement California's Act word-by-word....of course it would be adapted to Malta's circumstances such as the new high-rise frenzy.

Solar panels don't have to necessarily be placed on roofs...have a look at this: http://www.history.rochester.edu/class/solar/church.gif ....that's a church covered with solar panels.

@ Nigel Fenech
I am not interpreting anything and I am not proposing anything. I am simply informing you that no, not everybody enjoys the privilege of being able to harvest solar energy. I don't need to surf the net to know that. I did not bring politics into this.

@ Joe Grima

Clap Clap

Should we not be seeing that that in Mr. Brincat's Proposal too.

Climate change is the issue and Sustainable Alternative Energy is a solution. Sometimes we miss out on the word sustainable. population and size are dominant factors in Malta to have alternaitve energy fully sustainable.

It is in this perspective that subsidies are necessary, becuase it is not yet fully viable. Offsore Wind Farming is an alternative source to energy, but is not yet sustainable, costing more than the barrels of oil to suppliment the same energy. It seems to be, nevetheless, a goverment priority to support the environment and act against climate change within an EU perspective. That is the difference between PN and MLP

What does the Brincat Civil right grant tangibly give to the environment. Many people in Malta have cable or air transmission digital TV.But have we cleaned the skyline from our antennae.

This is the level of citizen committment to the environment.....granting a new right does not balance off each and every individual obligation to the environment.

@ Adrian Cardona

Great so your interpretation to what Labour is now proposing (or is it Labour itself proposing this ?) that a Solar Citizen Rights over-rules a permitted building heights. Sorry, but the law in california does not suggest that. Again, you missed out. Surf the net and see for yourself.

I am not quite sure that Labour is proposing this when it was the "first" to propose a Millenium Tower in Paceville 10 years ago.

For goodness sake, must we politicise every issue we deal with in this country? Can't we look at an issue such as alternative sources of energy impassively and without poltiical allegiance to this or that party? The implimentation of a sustainable alternative energy policy is in everyone's interest and whoever contibutes to push this issue further, trying to turn the plot into fact from today's fiction of pious hopes, should be encouraged. I have no interest in telling bloggers what to do because I am a blogger too, but I would have expected a few ideas to come forward as to what we expect our administrators to do on our behalf in order to attempt some solutions to the problem rather than sit on their posteriors , wait for oil prices to rise and load the added costs on us. Worse still, we are not getting the brnefit of lower oil proces.. When the 90% surcharge was introduced. oil prices were, if I remember correctly, $146 a barrel. Now oil stands at $108 a barrel. Why hasn't the surcharge been reduced?

@ Chris Borg

Good for Mr. Brincat to drive a hybrid car. wow that is more progressive than his leader !!

Come on...sorry if I hit you straight in the face, but this porposal is a sign of the labours frame of mind -packing and branding nothing.....

Surf the net and see for yourself what the Act is all about.

Has any body been refrained from putting up a water tank or a TV antenna. The same applies to a water heater or a PV panel. It is that level of Civil Right which the law protects. A right (servitude) which is calso called "easement",whcih has been protected, I would say since Napoleonic times in Malta, or before American Independence.

Come on....can labour really come up with such a petty proposal. Our Civil Code provides for this already. Our conduminium Act provides for this too.

"Civil Right" is in that context and not in the context of black vs whites as in the M.L.King days.

And by the way..I really don't know why you speak of building heights as Mr Brincat's proposal, according to the MLP website makes no reference to this. Doesn't the sun hit everywhere, even on ground?

@ Nigel Fenech
I think the whole point is being missed by J Farrugia, who dismisses solar energy as an alternative. I am not in any way criticising the government or opposition, that's not the point. I simply applaud any initiative in that direction.
And no, I don't think everyone has the right to enjoy solar energy here. Tell that to someone who has seen his roof put in perpetual shadow by a newly built tower block in front of him. And do you think that the small roof left on top of a penthouse crowning a 10-apartment block would have enough space for everyone's solar panel? I don't think so.

All these negative comments makes me sick! What commitment to alternative energy does the present government has? When all the public buildings are powered by alternative energy and when real initiatives for indviduals, companies and institutions, including churches are meanignful then the present government can boost of being meaningful in environmental friendly issues, such as alternative energy.

@ Nigel Fenech....yes the year of Jum il-Helsien...the year when we became TRULY independent. Anyway. Take us back to 1979? Yes but 1979 in the US was quite different from 1979 in Malta, wasn't it? In the Maltese Context such a law would benefit all those who are likely to end up living in the shade of a high-rise built next to them (all you have to do is go to Sliema to see this for yourself dear Nigel).

@ J FArrugia....Leo Brincat does drive a hybrid car...when will you buy yours? :)

@ Nigel Fenech (once more) the MLP in the 1980s had brought to Malta some Swedish experts to help with the construction of a solar panel plant, however with the change in govt. in '87 this project was dumped...so much for putting the environment on the nation's agenda!!! And by the way, it was Labour in the 70s & 80s who strived to implement projects of re-forestation....and anyway, if you Nats want to live in the past it's your own business, it leaves us with Labour as the major forward-looking Party

@ Mark Piscopo

A negative can never be a positive. That is why !!!

Do you know what the Solar Rights Act is ?

Surf the net and see. I reiterate it is a simple right of use of roofs for Solar energy which should be granted to citizens from Resident Assosiations in condominii blocks.

We have had this right, including to fix a water tank and a TV antenna for ages.

The Act is simple that.

Is it possible that Progressive MLP can come up with just a simple no-big-deal proposal for alternative energy, coming from a country which is no "paladin" for the environment.

I think labour has been seeing CNN too much.

This "fresh" and "progressive" idea is nothing but passe'.

@Nigel Fenech

Try to Why all these negative comments to all labour proposals?

Thank you Mr. Brincat. I have often wondered why government is dragging its feet when it come to solar energy - something which Malta is blessed with all year around.

I have a vision of Malta being totally energy independent and self-sufficient. The homes all have solar panels that generate heat and electricity, cars and buses all powered by cells which get their energy from solar panels installed on their roofs. Why even our Power Station can be converted to Solar energy! No more need to import expensive Oil, and no pollution. After the initial costs, the energy is free. Think of the billions of Euros that will be saved.

A man in Newfoundland, Canada, tinkering in his garage made solar panels to heat his home from empty beer cans! It worked so well, he is receiving orders for these panels even from abroad!

If you think that this is a dream, think again. The technology is already out here, what is lacking is the political will to implement it. I guess the Oil Lobby is all powerful and for the sake of keeping a few families in their superyachts and gold plumbing, planet earth and future generations be damned.

@ Adrian Cardona

The whole point is being missed. We all agree on the need for sustainable alternative energy. And never, as much as today, has there been a committment towards this. The need to a greater public commitment is necessary but not in the way Mr. Brincat has spelt it out, as the Solar Energy Rigths Act is nothing but a lip service exercise with no meaning at all.

It speaks of the right of way on roofs to install solar energy systems. Don't we all have that right here in Malta. Has Mr. Brincat or any MLP self-annointed gurus read the Act or surfed the internet for 5 minutes before spelling out the idea.

I think you ve missed the point Kevin Borg. What the labour party is proposing is to provide a policy which protects those individuals which have or haven t to date invested in solar energy from ending up in the shadow of some construction monstrosity. It s up to the nationalist led government to introduce proper incentives for the implementation of photovoltaic systems. They've been promising such incentives for years, and yet they’ve always fallen short of what is really required. The sooner people put there political beliefs behind them and start to support the opposition parties constructive criticism the better. Attacking the labour party or AD every time they point out flaws in the current running of this troubled nation, isn’t going to solve anything. If you want an example of the nationalist's forward thinking to alternative energy use, just take a look at Mater Dei hospital (enough said).

@ J Farrugia
Your foresightedness knows no limits. What has 1Kw got to do with it? For your information, giving an impetus to solar energy in Malta would save the country millions upon millions of euros, euros which we are throwing away to buy oil at increasingly higher prices. We have millions of square meters of roof space which could be used to generate electricity, feeding any excess to the national grid, reducing expenses for everyone. And we throw this away for the pleasure of allowing developers to continue building flats upon flats which few people will buy.

Clap Clap to J Farrugia. Let us remind all that it is the PN who pushed up the Environment Issue top on the Agenda. That is progressive! It started in the 90s with a series of proposals, and continued more recently with serious positive action towards the environment. One cannot speak of a PN Lip Services to the environment as Mr Brincat is doing. Does Mr. Brincat know that in the USA more fuel is burnt to fry burgers than to get all the cars in the US on the road. Does Mr. Brincat know that the USA is not the best model for postive action towards the environment, and is the only developed contry not to sign the Kyoto Protocol for gas emissions.

MLP please try harder. The summer heat and the blazing sun have put you all on blindfolding shades.

When I see the hon Member running around in an electric car then I will do the same. When I see Ministers running in electric cars I will do the same. When I see all the MPs running in electric cars and using energy saving equipment I will do the same. And that's a promise even if I don't have their kind of money.

I invite all those interested to see the Solar Rights Act (SRA) for California (1979). It confirms that this is a simple political platitude which sounds nice but in not progressive at all.

Is labour going back to 1979. The year of Jum il-Helsien which Mr Brincat remembers very well. !!

Back to the point the SRA is a piece f legislation which gives "right of way" to tenants in condominii to install solar panels. That is all !!!

Within a maltese contect, and with more than 75% of residential homes being fully owned and not condominii, the Solar Rights Act has little effect, as there is no Association limitation. Furthermore, the condominium Act provides for this and may guarantee this right.

Mr.Brincat, more effort is need for the MLP to be progressive !!

Well done Leo. The raison d'etre of an Oppositon is not just to criticise but also to present itself as a pro-active, alternative Government with ideas of its own. Malta has seriously lagged behind in alternative energy and is still completely oil dependent in spite of massive costs. Government efforts towards alternative energy have been half hearted PR shows that have led nowhere. I believe that not one alternative energy project has been implemented after a call to private companies by Austin Gatt months ago. The Phot op must have been more important than the projects.

Government should first lead by example and then provide SERIOUS incentives now to citizens wanting to change to solar. Next, the replacement of petrol-guzzling vehicles, including buses, with hybrids, gas or battery powered engines.

The Opposition should continue to strive in favour of reduced oil consumption, and hopefully, reduced energy and surcharge bills. As in the US, ours is also a time for change: from insular, sectarian, inward-looking Political Parties to expansive, inclusive, forward-looking political organizations operating in the national interest. A young, modern Leader such as Joseph Muscat is, in my opinion, ideally suited to throw the gauntlet for Maltese politics. .

Malta Labour Party credibility fluctuates incredibly. One day sky high the other rock bottom. This proposal may at first sound good and foward looking. But when one digs deep and thinks a little bit there are far greater problems to tackle than this. First of all the price of producing solar enregy vis a vie the investment required is still very high and highly taxed. This should be tackled first. But as usual the need for the leader of the MLP to show us that his part is changing into something progressive is blurring his vision of good sence, thus rendering his ideas at best laughable.

The MLP should first sit down and list its ideas according to the countries priorties or else it will render the ideas far fetched labelled as pies in the sky. But again Dr. Muscat needs to show us how progressive and modren he is.

Great proposal, in effect in quite a few states around the world, not so easy to implement....

@J Farrugia: What do you mean: "For just 1 Kw you waste thousands of liri. Ridiculious proposal"??? Why don't you try and get some facts into the equation?

dopnt make us laugh. rights right rights. What are the benefits. For just 1 Kw you waste thousands of liri. Ridiculious proposal. Solar rights....my foot.

climate change is a major global concern which puts a responsibility not only on the major multinational companies, primarily, but on each individual and association. Alternative energy is a sustainaible solution and is a required duty on each of us more than a simple pretended right. I see no limitation on the use on solar energy, making Mr Brincat's proposal a simple platitude.

I agree with Mr brincat that we have to set legislation to protect those who use solar energy and other energies like wind which would be more effect then solar with the mentioned effect. The problem with renewable energy in malta and most of the world is that it is too expensive and you can never really recover your costs in the life time of the equipment with the current gov incentives. The opposition should focus more on the issue of better incentives then rights regarding light conditions.

This is a good proposal, and no I do not think that MLP and AD have become like the Prodi Government. Empowering the citizens with more rights is the best way to obviate against buses as far as the environment goes. I would also include another right with the one suggested. The "right to a view", which would mean that everyone whose property at the present moment enjoys some sort of view can enforce this right against whoever purports to obstuct it by building or construction. That would certainly put a lid on further development.

Actually Mr. Seychell if we use more solar power and the government allows people to feed any excess energy into the grid both the government and the general public will benefit from less costs as we will use less fossil fuels...........oh and less health costs due to less pollution.

MLP and AD are looking more similar by the day to the last Prodi Government.

They are calling for all rights, but duties are hardly ever mentioned.

Mind you they are all good proposals, but they are missing the most important point, that more expenditure means more taxes for the hard working class

Very good point Mr.Brincat, though I seriously doubt that it will convince the government to restrict building heights because of it. Developers rule, not house owners, in this tiny, dusty, overdeveloped rock.