Eco-reduction incentive to encourage power savings

Joseph Attard

Oct 4th 2008, 19:00

Well Well I confirm Im not one of the 54,000Households...let me see 1000units in 365 days....equals 2.739 units a day......Some more statistics for you.......193K households in Malta and Gozo, 53/54K empty, so just 132/133K remain occupied. So 40.6 percent of these occupied households use less then 2.739 units a day !

Meaning at current values :
2.739 x 54K x365 =54 million units multiplied x ..07 Euro cent =3.78 million add meter rent
54K x Euro 27.95= 1, 509,300 , subtotal 5,289,300 plus 95% surcharge =3,591,000 thus final total = 8,880,300. thus each family average payment of 163.51Euros
At proposed rate :
2.739 x 54K x365=54million units multiplied x0.18= 9,720,000 plus meter rent 54Kx 75Euro=
4,050,000 Total =13,770,000 thus each family average payment now proposed 255.00 an approximate 56% increase
The remaining families accordingly amounting to app 79K are earmarked to pay app 130Million in meter rent and consumption thus approximately 1645.5 Euros annually
Ill only outline that welive in a small island where there are many good brains which can be put to work to solve this problem. The time for imposition is long over, we need to sit down, politics apart and solve this once and for all.

deb bugeja

Oct 4th 2008, 15:47

@ D Fenech

With the wave of cost of living going up, yes I agree with you that average earner plus pensioners will not have any alternative to go back to the old days and make a kettle to take a bath.

G.Hoare

Oct 4th 2008, 14:18

I am not surprized with the cost of electricity and that it keeps going up .Malta have i source of energy that we dont use THE SUN , we are blessed with lovely sunshine for 10 months in the year if not more , it is not just US the people that have to watch out how to use electric in a suffecent way ,
The Goverment need to do =wind farms which it provide us with electric and Solar Street lighting , bus stops shelters Parks ,they are being used in the UK ,we have plenty of sunshine More then the UK for sure , its like money down the drain,why it is not being used?
For anybody that uses AC yes that is a luxury so is my dishwasher but i make sure i use it wisely we have plenty of electric gagets all over the house ,we have water heaters / gezer which is cheaper the leave on all year round as it consumes more electricity by switching on and off and off .SO STEP 1 Goverment Start the installing solar street lighting STEP 2 wind farms .GOD PROVIDES BOTH WIND AND SUNSHINE . CHEAPER BILLS

C. Mc Philips

Oct 3rd 2008, 14:41

New Minister Fenech = a flop... Thousands PN supporters agree Fenech be ending the Government next election X 100%, unless Prime Minister takes the situation.
To save in your electric bills, suggest following measure:
1. Cooking on wood, use advertisement material, posted daily on stone stoves
for cooking, it's economical.
2. For Electricity use candles to see at night time.
3. For heating the house, do fire-place, burn wood, paper. Collect old rugs to keep
you from freezing at night!
4. In hot weather, cool up, sleep on the roof or on a bench in Sliema, etc.
5. 4 years time. See who offers best, cannot go wrong in this situation, but you would have saved quite a lot. UNIONS WAKE UP, before hotels, factories, are closed, and we are out of jobs. So. FIGHT this together.

J Grech

Oct 3rd 2008, 10:31

This is the price we have to pay for having an arrogant government and an incompetent opposition (so far). I earnestly await the Euro Parliament elections, regrettably it is the only voice I and thousands of displeased and cheated citizens have.The PN had one clear asset in Gonzi's credibitlity, gradually but surely this is slip sliding away. To add insult to injury the much promised tax cuts will in all probability go out of the window for the forseeable future and brought in before the 2013 elections (4-5 years late)At this stage I feel vulnerable enough to admit that i did not realise the full extent of 'flimkien kollox possibli'.

I.Scicluna

Oct 3rd 2008, 09:44

Let's see if I got the facts right: EU prohibits our Government from subsidising ailing bodies like our shipyards, Air Malta etc BUT it permits the PEOPLE to subsidize Government's inefficiencies?

According to the Minister, these astronomical increases are intended to "do us a favour" to be more economical with the use of water and electricity. Remember when a Labour Government introduced the 50c fee to do just that with State-aid medicinals? The outcry by the PN and its allies echoed right up to the stratosphere! Where are the condemnations today?! If the new electricity/water/gas increases are meant to cover "the actual cost of generation/production" then it can only mean that these providors are ineffiecient. The leakage/waste/theft should first be addressed before the tax-payers are bled dry once again.

I am more than convinced that this is just the tip of the iceberg and in this, the first year of the PNs new legislation, more "stangatas" will hit us; none of which were in the electoral manifest. I ask whatever happened to the "Finanzi fis-Sod" of last year! It is obvious that finances were not THAT fis-sod and never were.

John A. Azzopardi

Oct 3rd 2008, 09:19

HELP !!!!
I am turning BLUE ...... in the face.
I am being strangled.
I am blue (a deeper shade of red) with anger.
Anger at the incompetence, the cheating, the insolence of the politicians insulting my basic intelligence.
Need I say more ??

EDWIN DE MARCO

Oct 3rd 2008, 09:11

Nothing is being said about the water tariffs. Since they are heavily subsidised, most probably new tariffs will be introduced. Not to be misunderstood I will outline the present tariffs as they stand now in the old Maltese currency. For every cubic metre (220 gallons) consumed one is presently charged Lm0.16c5. The subsidy amounts to Lm0.93c5. A simple addition will confirm that the actual cost of water should be Lm1.10c (Euros2.43c) per cubic metre. In the interest of hygiene I exhort you to at least take two showers per day, even though it's going to cost you more than what you're bound to get as a cost-of-living increase!

Robert Dimech

Oct 3rd 2008, 08:22

How about Enemalta ensuring that street lights are switched off at dawn, for starters? Efficiency should begin 'at home'. Some areas get switched off at 7am or just prior while others are still lit up at 7.30am. (Luqa this morning). Sheer waste! Hope their people will take note of change in summer time at the end of this month as well!

Michael Pace

Oct 3rd 2008, 05:06

Take a walk along the Sliema Front or Tigne/Qui Si Sana,look up at the flats and you'd be hard put to spot a light bulb on ,and this. in what is considered the most affluent of areas

Just how can we economise more than we are doing already?.

We are not only paying for the rise in price of oil,but more importantly,for the gross ineffeciency of EneMalta throughout the years and a Government long past its sell by date ,and who has failed dismally throughout the years to plan for such contingencies.

Joseph Sammut

Oct 3rd 2008, 03:21

Having read all the blogs to this hour, I am pretty much sure that Minister Fenech worked out his magic formula based on the 54,000 households using less than 1,000 kWh/annum (which is quite obvious that these are not "normal" households) rather than going through the simple exercise as per Mr. John Fenech in one of the blogs, thus starting off on the wrong baseline. Wrong for us, but good for him. This is something that can and MUST be challenged by the social partners, if need be, taken up in Brussels on the grounds of unfair play by the biggest monopoly - the Government.

Joe Mifsud

Oct 3rd 2008, 01:02

Can the unions we been paying all our working lives please wake up. Can't pay bills by working time in lieu hours. Mr. Joseph Muscat show us what you can do with these bullies.

Eman Formosa

Oct 3rd 2008, 00:46

That the price of oil has gone up nobody can deny and I'm not surprised the bills go up a bit. But to make us pay for the corporations Inefficiencies is sheer madness, or shall I say "tilfu l-boxla socjali". We all know that govt entities and corporations carry excess staff and efficiency is extremely low. (cheques sent to the WSC take about 15 working days to be cleared at the bank! If I were the WSC Financial controller I would want all receipts deposited in the banks in 2 days to try and save interest payments on OVERDRAFTS!) And what about the electricity and water losses? Do we have to pay those as well. Or the waste of electricity in govt depts and in street lighting. A lot are stIll on well after daylight,
May I also point out to the govt that prior to the 2006 budget those 30,000 households they always BOAST about used to have their surcharge fully deducted. After that date a lot of them got a very small deduction from the surcharge. Reason "you consume more than 1300kw per year" IN 2008 THAT GOES DOWN TO 1000!!!

A. Mifsud

Oct 2nd 2008, 23:42

If what our fellow unamed IM spokesman has claimed is true, then we Maltese ought to be amongst the most energy efficient population across europe. Then we might as well get subsidized through the EU's carbon credit trading program, and instead of getting ourselves subsidised through the states' coffers (and therefore own taxes) we'll get subsidized through the heavy polluting multinationals......
Come on, let's be a little realistic for once instead of quoting figures out of nowhere.

Guze Xerri

Oct 2nd 2008, 23:30

@ I. Abela,
A firm called GreenCore is making complete room air conditioners with a PV cell since last year, no need to rig one up your self. check it out.
http://www.metaefficient.com/air-conditioning/solar-powered-air-conditioner-released.html

Chris Zammit

Oct 2nd 2008, 23:28

This so called Eco-reduction incentive is the greatest joke for this year!!

By Eco incentive, I understand that the government gives incentives to families, to encourage them invest in alternative energy sources such as solar panels, solar heaters,etc.....

The truth is that the government is happy in generating extra revenue from our water & electricity bills to make up for the pre-electoral frenzy and give aways. Now election wonderland has passed away (RIP) and will probably resurrect in about four and a half years. In the meantime, we tax payers will have to pay for all the inefficiencies in the public sector, etc.etc.

Sorry to say but we never learn!

Guze Xerri

Oct 2nd 2008, 23:11

@ I Abela,
I am informing the public not lecturing.
I suggest you study the work of Prof. David Faiman in Israel as to the advances in solar PV cells, in cost and power provided.
Small room air conditioner are routinely powered by PV cells no bigger than the sq. surface area of a single bed in the summer cottages of Thunderbay Ontario Canada, I saw and experienced this with my own eyes and body.

here is a website providing small PV cells and ancillaries for sale.
check out the size of the cell.
http://www.alphasolar.com/alpha_solar_111.htm

Loïc Le Brun

Oct 2nd 2008, 22:47

I agree with Mr. Michael A. Caruana. If one takes the whole amount of existing dwellings in Malta and Gozo then the figures might be realistic. The point is that about 50,000 of the total is not occupied. Walk in each and every street and try to count how many dwellings are to let or for sale? Give me some figures and I can create many charts, PowerPoint presentations...

They might not reflect the real situation but they will look professional enough. Anyway, only a few people would be able to understand the true picture behind the nice lay-out....

Please be very careful with "statistics", you can use them the way you want.

Loïc Le Brun

Oct 2nd 2008, 22:42

I agree with Mr. Michael A. Caruana. If one takes the whole amount of existing dwellings in Malta and Gozo then the figures might be realistic. The point is that about 50,000 of the total is not occupied. Walk in each and every street and try to count how many dwellings are to let or for sale? Give me some figures and I can create many charts, PowerPoint presentations...

They might not reflect the real situation but they will look professional enough. Anyway, only a few people would be able to understand the true picture behind the nice lay-out....

Please be very careful with "statistics", you can use them the way you want.

Guze Xerri

Oct 2nd 2008, 22:33

@ M. Aquilina,
Look at the flat roofs of private dwellings, government buildings , industrial structures, gov't land and even the southwest exterior walls of apartment buildings can be used as these PV cells are now built smaller and at a higher wattage rating per sq. cm of area.
the whole front facade of a balcony guard rail is enough space for a modern PV cell of sufficient wattage to directly run a room air conditioner through a solid state inverter of a medium sized flat on the hottest of maltese summer afternoons.
Energy cost through fossil fuel use is going to triple and quadruple in the next few year so the public better get use to the cost.
helping us breath cleaner is a bonus too.
we have the technology and have the will of the people to change how we do things, we just need our elected leaders to get on board.

maria busuttil

Oct 2nd 2008, 22:31

Dear Minister, Prime Minister, and all in power, while I was reading about this rise, I though again, but this was the first of October and not the first of April, really though it was a April fool joke!!! But no they are just treating us like idiots, we have voted to live like human beings but we are going back to the late seventies and the other bad time when we had to fasten our belts, and denied what we needed, we are working and our children are suffering as they have hardly the pleasure of being together as a family as other parents have to go out o work, for what to give it all back to the government .

Oh well I think this government has really had his time in this position so he has either lost it or losing it very very quickly. votes are beng lost with attitude and nonsense.

Now the unions must protest as the cost of living will surely rise like hell

I Abela

Oct 2nd 2008, 22:16

@ Guze Xerri - Sir please STOP trying to lecture us about alternative energy. You actually don't know what you are talking about. By any chance can you tell us how many kWh do your solar panels generate? This technology is SO EXPENSIVE that not even major governments worldwide can afford it. Let alone us. The solar cell developed by Boeing is only an experiment. It doesn't automatically mean that it will be available next year. Also be informed that some flats have rooftops, but MOST have a penthouse with a private roof. Be also informed that a solar panel, so small to fit in a balcony, won't even power an energy saving lamp, let alone an airconditioner. GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT.

Michael A. Caruana

Oct 2nd 2008, 21:48

A big proportion of the 54,000 households must be empty residences or else used in summer only, hence the low energy consumption. My average yearly consumption for a household of 6 is 15,000 units. This is double what the government has benchmarked, and although I have airconditioners I rarely use them, switch on the water heaters just before having a bath, and have energy saving lamps throughout my house. I cannot believe the figures quoted by the government, or else the statistical data provided is not representative of a typical household

M Aquilina

Oct 2nd 2008, 21:33

@Mr Xerri
I agree that the cells would really help. My point, however, is that this would not be enough. Many of the flats being built today have roof tops which have to be shared among many users and which have to have space for all sorts of things in a very limited area.

@Mr Fenech
Your statistics are very interesting and they make much more sense than those of the 'spokesperson'.

Can anyone who actually consumes less than 1000kw/h per person a year say so, possibly giving us some hints about how this can be done? There should be many who could do this since 54,000 households are reported to consume less than that...

Vincent Galea

Oct 2nd 2008, 21:25

We will most probably in near future start.growing food in our gardens or on our rooftops to offset soaring world food costs. We wil be happy and rejoice for a tomato or a pumpkin ...........while in the United States the U.S. Interior Secretary was 'outraged' by department workers who had sex, used drugs,'took cocaine , had sexual relations , illicit sexual encounters and took 'gifts' ( not a biro or some 50 euro token) from employees at regulated oil companies.Billions of dollars were handed in oil and gas supplies that were turned on by companies as a kind of royalty for drilling on federal lands.
I recall grandma by the light of the lamp telling us ghost stories. We were afraid then..........now even more.

Marco Laver

Oct 2nd 2008, 21:21

Silly Minister..what they forgot to tell him was that the 54000 households who use less than 1000 awtts are those with a winter and summer residence,in which case it might just be possible to use less than a 1000w per annum if you visit your summer place for the weekend during the 8/10 weeks of Summer.. So there you go,the rich getting away with murder yet again and a Minister being economical with the truth yet again!

john fenech

Oct 2nd 2008, 21:15

Correct to Economical Power Consumption per week in KWH:

El. Space Heater.....5.9 >> 2 months @ 5 hrs per day
A.C unit.................14.7 >> 2.5 months 12000btu’s @ 6 hrs per day

Gerald Fenech

Oct 2nd 2008, 21:15

I have just worked out the costings and it looks like a 3 person household (with students in the summer) and which consumes a total of around 8500 units of electricity annually and 120 units of water annually will end up paying somewhere between 500 and 600 Euro extra per year. EUR 5 extra a week is a joke as usual - its going to be much more than that and everyone knows it. Yet again I have to say it - Alfred Sant was right.

John Debattista

Oct 2nd 2008, 21:13

THESE things serves the people right, thats what they voted for Hudu Pacenzja, these tariffis were not explained befor the ELECTION ......... HA....HA....HA...

Beppe Rizzo

Oct 2nd 2008, 21:08

What is eco-freindly with the meter charge increasing? This certainly does not depend on consumption. You either have a meter or you don't. Who is this anonymous spokesman trying to kid? Does he think that we are idiots. We are paying for the incompetence of a government owned company, its past pricing policy, its inefficiencies and maybe the recent decisions of Enemalta in their purchasing policy. The people have to put a stop to this nonsense and ask the responsible persons in charge either step down or find a more acceptable solution over a longer period which will ease the burden on the public at large. Our statesman, or should I say politicians, please do not take your electorate for granted.

Guze Xerri

Oct 2nd 2008, 21:07

@ M. Aquilina,
Flats still have rooftops where your unit's water tank is in Malta and balconies facing the southwest.
even if the PV cell is big enough just to directly run your room air conditioner. you are still making a difference when multiplied by the thousands of users.
Government can provide low cost loans for purchase and installation of PV units.

the cost of these is going down with passing years.

U.S. Department of Energy announced last December a concentrator solar cell produced by Boeing-Spectrolab has recently achieved a world-record conversion efficiency of 40.7%. This discovery could mean systems with an installation cost of only €2.40 per watt, producing electricity at a cost of 6 to 7.5 Euro Cent per kilowatt/hour, making solar electricity a much more cost-effective option.

paul grech

Oct 2nd 2008, 20:52

The meter rental should be abolished .In my opinion it allways seem as a tax without cause.

john fenech

Oct 2nd 2008, 20:48

Economical Power Consumption per week in KWH:
Fridge..............15.12 @ 30% utilization factor per day
W. Machine.......7.2 @ 4.5 hours per week
Lighting.............4.6 @ 6.5hrs per day
TV.....................5.9 @ 7.0 hrs per day
W. Heater.......15.8 @ 1.5 hrs per day
Total...... 48.62 Equivalent to 2528 Units / annum
Additional Power Consumption per week:
El. Space Heater.....5.9 >> 2 months @ 50hrs per day
E. Cooker...............10.5 >> 1.5 hrs @ 50% per day
Cl. Tumbler.............2.3 >> 1.5 hrs per week
A.C unit.................14.7 >> 2.5 months 120000btu’s @ 6 hrs per day
Total.....................33.4 Equivalent to 1737 Units per annum

So either a good % of the 54000 families are taking the authorities for a ride or else the authorities think that they could take the Maltese for a ride!

It is pertinent to ask the Minister for a break down of the power subsidy; since the power stations efficiency is about 37%, distribution efficiency is >95%, unmetered consumption?, and the price of the fossil fuel is as per the forward buying rate? Labour content requirement?

The EU recommendation about liberalisation is to have a more efficient and secure supply from different power sources at a competitive price!

marlene pullicino

Oct 2nd 2008, 20:39

Between 2008 and 2012 Enemalta is expected to invest 450 million euro in the generation and distribution of electricity. If the government had to use a good chunk of this sum to heavily subsidise the adoption of photovoltaic technology by as many households as possible,it would be relieving itself of the total dependance on imported fuels and their fluctuating costs ,it would be helping families to produce much of their electricity needs and therefore ease their financial burden, and last but certainly not least it will be promoting and ascertaining a cleaner environment for us all. The government has to seriously consider these microsolutions before embarking on mega projects which the country can ill afford. If our Grid needs upgrading to be able to handle such a national change ,then lets make its upgrading a priority .

Peter Grech

Oct 2nd 2008, 20:37

instead of making cost reductions in enemalta to avoid losses they are charging us more. its good to have a monopoly. we should have another power supplier in malta.

Brian Ferrante

Oct 2nd 2008, 20:34

Naturally, the scheme will not serve as an incentive for WSC and Enemalta to be more efficient

S.sammut

Oct 2nd 2008, 20:30

@ Guze Xerri
Very well said. All we need is political will to change things and improve our quality of life. Pity there is not much of this political will in our political class running this country.

l Galea

Oct 2nd 2008, 20:28

The 1000kWh is a "Yes Minister" joke.

Shall we get our kerosene lamps or musbieħ back in business, use the kenur to cook our meals, sell out tv and computer, switch off the fridge/freezer and forget about any modern contraptions?

Oh I forgot. No kerosene lamps because kerosene price has also exploded and musbieħ oil is also very expensive.

Remember that programme "zmien il-lampa u l-lampik"?

That's where we're heading.

M Vella

Oct 2nd 2008, 20:21

The way government spreads statistics onto faces is becoming a significant irritation.

Quote: The spokesman said many Maltese household fall within or near these benchmarks. Indeed, 54,000 households use less than 1,000 kWh. Unquote

Now can it be that there are enough people out there who actually believe that there are 54,000 families or persons who use less than 1000 KWh per annum in their ordinary residence.?

Now if this impression has any morsel of correctness, the papers should be besides themselves investigating if we have some 100,000 people living in horrible conditions or if these people have found some amazing power-saving formula, in which case can we please all share.

Yet nothing happens, seeds of irrational perceptions are sown and we all remain swaying in the wind.

Who knows what base-line is in store for us when the water tariffs hit us?

M. Cordina

Oct 2nd 2008, 20:13

So the air-conditioner seen as an exessive commodity is back in place I guess...

Ray Muscat

Oct 2nd 2008, 20:09

When one examines the new electricity tariffs one wonders why Alfred Sant's government back in 1998 was defeated in Parliament because of the increase in electricity bills.

One may ask: what should happen to the present government and its rocket high tariffs?

Of course,now that it's Gonzi who is at the helm of the country and not poor Alfred Sant, people will bow down to Big Brother's decisions in the hope of a mirage of deductions come next election in four and a half years time!

Paul Musat

Oct 2nd 2008, 19:58

Households need subsidies for solar panels and wind turbines. The small panels will be installed on roofs and possibly connected to the national grid; likewise for wind turbines. Moreover, the government can start his own alternative energy plans, say using the very strong corrents at the Fliegu, or installing large efficient wind turbines, or like in Greece and Spain a solar power station for 10,000 households. Incentives for solar heaters gave very good results.
Money? Given that there seems to be no control on spending by the government, the money saved can be directly invested in these schemes!

Joe Borg

Oct 2nd 2008, 19:58

In 6 months my consumption was little under 1000, last time it was a little over.. so i take my average consumption is 2000 units per year for two persons living in a house with solar water heater, energy saver bulbs everywhere (not those "given" by the gov btw), appliances and TV sets not left in stand by but switch off and no electric heaters whatsoever.. ah yes, my oven is electric, using it 3-4 times weekly... i don't think i can be any more economic than this..

is this article saying that we need to half our consumption in order to be "eco-friendly"????

or is it the reporter who did not mention that 1000 per person per year???? cause it desn't make sense for a person living alone having a larger bracket then two living together!!!

Mark Spiteri

Oct 2nd 2008, 19:41

Now our intelligence is being offended as well.

And why is this so called intelligent spokesman not mentioned ?

M Aquilina

Oct 2nd 2008, 19:36

@Guze Xerri
Photovoltaic cells are environmentally friendly but they carry high initial expenses which make them inaccessible to most of the population. Moreover, you need space for them. How can people living in flats use them? They might be a solution for those who have big roofs or large open spaces but are simply an unrealistic proposition for most people in Malta. The government investing in wind farms (whenever that may be) might be more viable.

Mark Fleri

Oct 2nd 2008, 19:29

The government keeps on suggesting ways for us to reduce or save on energy consumption and then keep on increasing the cost of electricity. Its time to take a stand against this government and put them in their shoes. Last time I ever vote blue.

J. Mifsud

Oct 2nd 2008, 19:27

54,000 households use less than 1,000 kWh per person per year. Go telI this to the marines!!! I find this impossible to believe that one person can use less than 1,500 kWh yearly. Could it be that many people find ways and means to tamper with meters??? If the answer is yes, then it is most unfair that others who do not, always have to foot their bills to make up for Enemalta's losses through tampering. This is absolutely unfair.

If the authorities do their duty and trace most of the people who cheat to get social services, them I am sure that taxes paid by honest ones will be alleviated. I augur that the law should be adhered to so that in the end cheating does not pay.

D Fenech

Oct 2nd 2008, 19:26

I am baffled!
Doesn't a pensioner who lives alone have a right to use an airconditioner during our stifling Maltese summers! What are we expecting them to do?? Die????
Should an airconditioner be considered a luxery ???
Are we expecting them to wash in a basin and heat the water up with a kettle???
1500kw/PER YEAR/per person......are we being serious here????
I am even more baffled when i walk into a government department in summer and freeze!!!!

Anthony Formosa

Oct 2nd 2008, 19:25

Only those houses which are still in shell form will not consume more than 1500kw/year. I wonder if there's going to be any energy saving in governments offices, I would like to visit any of these places and see all the employees freezing in winter and in sweating in summer, but this will not be the case, as the consumption is covered by the gullibles.

Did anyone filled the application correctly for the five energy saver bulbs?

Keith Sammut

Oct 2nd 2008, 19:22

Eco-my foot. It's the latest buzz word. Eco-reduction, eco-tax, eco-this and eco-that.

Soon, or at least I think, car registration reform will be done, which I guess we'll call eco-vehicle incentive. My bet is that over 3/5 years, costs will be the same, however over the longer term a car will cost us more.

Bills are going up, be it oil price, be it Eur/Usd rates, reforms, incentives, economic gloom, bla bla bla.
Decent salary incentive? tax reduction?
Forget about it.

S. Agius

Oct 2nd 2008, 19:21

p.s. let's see what the 'Social Partners' reaction is going to be to all this.....

S. Agius

Oct 2nd 2008, 19:14

If the spokesman for the IM wants to sounds more credible could he please:

1. Give us an indication of the year that these 54,000 households used less that 1,000kW/H and if they are actually households
2. Give us an indication how much of the subsidized 30,000 households are part of this figure
3. Take the elements that are today considered as essential to live with, and come up with a REALISTIC average consumption / household.....something on the lines of the exercise hereunder: http://www.clallampud.net/docs/conservation/TypicalApplianceEnergyUseandCost2.pdf

Gerald Fenech

Oct 2nd 2008, 18:59

Claudio is absolutely spot on - these quite hefty increases will have a devstating effect on local industry with the consequences that one can only expect. The hotel industry will particularly be hardest hit with hundreds of jobs alraedy on the line. And foreign investors will definitely think twice with hefty power increases of this sort. Its useless coming up with complex graphs which nobody understands to show that we are cheap compared to Europe. Look at their salaries and cost base and then compare. We are rcing ourselves out of competition.

Henrik Piski

Oct 2nd 2008, 18:56

Having no AC, no electric water heaters at home, we consume 1500 kw/year/person. I wonder which families will be entitled to these eco-refunds.

Guze Xerri

Oct 2nd 2008, 18:53

Malta and Gozo should get into photovoltaic cell use in a big way.
just think of how many sunny days we get a year on these islands.
Excess power can be sold back to the grid, as is now done in California.
this is also real eco reduction .

less expensive and polluting fossil fuel is burnt to generate our ever increasing demand for electricity when combined with rooftop photovoltaic electrical generation adding clean power to the electrical grid.

the technology is out there and getting more affordable.
Germany and Israel are leaders in this field.

James Sultana

Oct 2nd 2008, 18:42

1000 kwh? So in less than 24 hours this "benchmark" already went down by more than 30% and become two-tier ???

Wasn`it 1300 yesterday ? Now we are down to 1000? Great ..... it is not encouraging power-saving ... it is encouraging non-metering !!!

But of course, it shouldn`t be hard to stay with that limit : 54000 "households" fall within that parameters.

WHAT THE SPOKESMAN DIDN`T SAY IS HOW THOSE HOUSEHOLDS ARE MADE-UP: for all that matters, they can be "summer residences", "second residances", "garages", "boathouses", etc ...... Add to them the fact that we have 30000 households who are so poor that they need subsidies (hence assuming that they have no commodities) and it`s easy to figure out that practically NOBODY WILL FULLY BENEFIT OF THESE ECO-INCENTIVES ( probably those with address on their gozo residence to abuse the ferry subsidy will now switch back the address to Malta in the hope og trying to gain a cheaper bill here).

Ok ... I know .... in the UK and in Canada those who are forced to live there and not in this heaven called Malta .... blah-blah-blah.

M Aquilina

Oct 2nd 2008, 18:39

Anyone who uses a geyser to heat water and a water pump to compensate for the lack of water pressure will easily exceed the benchmark being proposed here. Let alone anyone who dares to switch on an airconditioner or a dehumidifier.

laurence schembri

Oct 2nd 2008, 18:38

Please..we haven`t even got the five bulbs promised...more figures, more confusion.

Claudio Bondin

Oct 2nd 2008, 18:18

People will not be looking at this but at the thousands of jobs that will be lost if the government goes ahead with these plans. Jobs will be lost in the hotel and manufacturing industry as well as hundreds of SMEs who give support to these industries will be suffering - and the number of jobs lost will not be by the hundreds but by the thousands. The government is shooting himself in the foot with this strategy.