Updated: Information on wind farm requested

(Adds Resources' Ministry's reaction)

Information on the studies which led the government to identify the main site for the proposed wind farm has been requested by the Labour Party’s spokesman on climate change.

Leo Brincat said in a statement that as the government had already declared that in Monday’s budget it would be launching alternative energy initiatives, especially in relation to wind energy, more details should be given.

Mr Brincat said the government should say how many and which alternative offshore sites were considered before the final decision was taken.

And when the government made its choice, did it have technical and scientific studies which confirmed it was choosing the best site?

Mr Brincat asked how long the government needed for studies and other preparatory work to be done before the impact of the chosen site could be evaluated and how long one would have to wait to order wind turbines of a certain size.

He asked what wind measurements were taken before the site was chosen and how the calculation of what energy the project would provide was made .

He asked if any environmental problems regarding this particular site were being foreseen and what studies were held about the visual impact of the site indicated. He asked if such studies could be published.

In its reply to Mr Brincat, the Resources Ministry said the government was committed to introduce a culture in favour of clean and alternative energy through new projects and initiatives.

As had already been announced, the government would be publishing and submitting all necessary documents to the Malta Environment and Planning Authority in the coming days.

The ministry said that part of the process was the drawing up of an environmental study. The Mepa application process would include public consultation, in which everyone would be able to participate.

It said that the wind farm was calculated to generate enough electricity for 21,000 homes but the government was working on other electricity generation projects for the country’s dependence on oil to be reduced.

In fact, enough electricity for 1,400 homes was to be generated from the Sant’Antnin Waste Recycling Plant while the Għallis Engineered Landfill would generate electricity for around 4,000 homes.

The Resources Ministry also noted that another Opposition spokesman had written that technical experts within the MLP had conducted their own research and concluded where and how the wind farm should be located. The ministry said it hoped this information would be made public for a serious discussion without ulterior motives.