Ministry issues denial of AD's wind farm claim

The Resources Ministry yesterday insisted that at no point did experts inform the government that the wind farm at Sikka L-Bajda off Mellieħa was not viable, as Alternattiva Demokratika claimed on Sunday.

"I can assure you that the government is not squandering the public's money capriciously," a ministry spokesman said yesterday in a strong denial of AD's claims.

At a press conference on Sunday, AD chairman Arnold Cassola had said he was informed that German experts consulted by the government had found that the €130 million wind farm project was not viable. He demanded that the experts' report be published.

However, the ministry spokes-man said the government did not have any reports from foreign experts. He also questioned AD's use of the word "viable".

"What do they mean by 'viable'? There is no doubt that it is more 'viable' to produce energy from fossil fuel. But that's not the point," he said, adding that Malta had responsibilities to meet EU targets to generate renewable energy. When it came to Sikka l-Bajda, he said, the government had two reports in hand.

The first was commissioned in 2005 and drawn up by British consultants Mott MacDonald. This report, available on the ministry's website, identified Sikka l-Bajda as the best site for an offshore wind farm.

The ministry then appointed a Committee on Wind Energy, made up of local environmentalists, to deal with concerns raised by non-governmental organisations about the wind farm.

They found that the site had potential and the full report would soon be released once the minister filed the planning application for the wind farm, the spokesman said.

As a Green Party, AD should have waited until the government filed the application before making a public declaration aimed only at raising doubts, he added.

The spokesman insisted that the wind farm was essential to ensure Malta met its EU target to generate at least 10 per cent of its energy from renewable energy resources by 2020. It is estimated the farm would provide around four per cent of Malta's energy requirements. Two months ago the ministry filed an application with the planning authority for a temporary 80-metre-long wind mast to be installed at Aħrax Point in Mellieħa (the closest point to the offshore reef) to monitor wind in the area.

AD leader Arnold Cassola, in a reaction to the ministry's statement, said the government should publish reports in its possession. "All Maltese and Gozitans have a right to view the reports on which the government has based its decision and judge whether the prevailing meteorological conditions at Sikka l-Bajda are ideal for a wind farm", Prof. Cassola said.

"Alternattiva Demokratika is always at the forefront in backing our government on any project based on obtaining energy from renewable sources. However, we do not want projects to be announced without the scientific studies on these projects being conducted beforehand and made available to public opinion. The Resources Ministry should refrain from continuing to withhold the studies that have already been made on this project", Prof. Cassola said.