Government expected to launch study on land-based wind farm

Carmel Saliba

Apr 25th 2009, 19:08

Plans are under way for wind farm/farms in Malta.
I hope that the government decides to stop temporary this project and as a priority give free of charge a solar heater to every Maltese family. By doing so will help the families and then the burden of the maintenance is to be carried out by the owners themselves.
The wind farm/farms will cost too much to install them and in the long run will cost too much as maintenance.

Richard Curmi

Apr 25th 2009, 02:40

@Mr Joseph Zammit,
Of course you are right with the oil pollution, but, do two wrongs make a right? The countries a few miles away from us are all huge and not a tiny rock with 400000 people on it, and I am ommiting the tourists that come throughout the year. How many turbines can one put on this tiny rock without having a negative impact on such a densely population. What about the noise they create, what about the ruined landscape they create, what about the effects on birds and fauna they create, and do they create electromagnetic interference problems? Common sense dictates that they do most of these.
Will the output of these turbines out weight the negativity they will create? We tend to forget what a small land mass we have.
Why did most of us realise without any studies that sea based turbines were going to cost a bomb to do, so as not to be viable. Now we are going to repeat it on land.
I`m all out for green energy, however let us not build a castle and bring down another in the process.

George Debono

Apr 25th 2009, 00:31

@Steve Muscat…@Chris borg……..I agree 100%

@Sander Depasquale "Why go for a whole windfarm when we have not as yet completed some studies"……….there was a proposal by a Company to build a wind farm at Marfa ridge and sell the energy to enemalta. What more could you want? (they had done their homework & were confident it would pay off - based on wind dtat from Luqa airport they extrapolated that wind speed would be 7.4metres/second) . If it hadn't been stupidly turned down this would have been the best study!

@Steven Brockwell @experts say it is not viable, then why go ahead?
Which experts?? no absolute asswssmwnt can be made without hard data. See also above.

@Mark Grech @the ugliest and noisiest collection of structures possible.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!!!!…………? Most people think they are beautiful.

@destroy the garigue- Not at all - they can be removed leaving barely a trace and foundations are small.

@Michael McCann@these type of structures should be placed within industrial areas....they are an industrial land use.
Nice idea but It is also a matter of wind - less wind further inland,

G

h galea

Apr 24th 2009, 21:17

@joey Borg, ''reclaiming land space from the sea' we can either go north or west this way we make it easyer for the immigrants, for they won't stay one hour here. The EU will save Euro 112 millions, with that money we can commenice the project. Will study it for next budget.

Sander depasquale

Apr 24th 2009, 20:49

Why go for a whole windfarm when we have not as yet completed some studies. Let us do our studies as it is being proposed and then we should try one or two turbines and gain experience with their operation. Let our technical people get used to working on these machines and at the same time get more statistics and allow the technlogy to develop further.

Michael McCann

Apr 24th 2009, 20:06

I agree with the comment that these type of structures should be placed within industrial areas....they are an industrial land use. And I would venture that the majority of people who think they are not "eyesores" have either never actually visited one, or simply drove past from a considerable distance. Ask the folks who have thier feet on the ground, and try to sleep at night with the various levels of noise, thumping or "vibro-acoustic" effect. Even T. Boone Pickens was quoted as saying his immense project planned in Texas would not be built on any part of his 6,500 acre ranch "because they are ugly". See the link, if you care about the effects that the wind energy companies do not want to discuss: http://www.bobvila.com/HowTo_Library/Green_Backlash_The_Wind_Turbine_Controversy-Subject_Green_Building-A3923.html Mike McCann McCann Appraisal, LLC mikesmccann@comcast.net

Richard Curmi

Apr 24th 2009, 19:31

@ Joe Camilleri, Did you read my letter well? Because I do not think you did. I simply said they are not viable on this tiny island, they are too huge not to make a negative impact. Majjistral Park was taken over for nature purpose and you want to turn it in a wind-farm. We will then put up signs saying, please try to ignore the turbines we have built on top of it.

Steven Brockwell

Apr 24th 2009, 18:59

mark gatt if birds can doge bullets they can doge wind farms please don't bring bird life into this or from now on we will be all eating seeds IE bird food because they object to everything. if i were a bird i would rather have clean energy wind farms then a diesel turbine wouldn't you.

Steve Muscat

Apr 24th 2009, 18:23

@ Mark Grech - what's your agenda? i live and work near several windfarms and they are neither ugly nor noisy. Certainly far cleaner and aesthetically pleasing than our cancer-inducing coal power station. You don't live in Marsa, do you? @ all the shorted sighted bloggers on here who reckon that Malta can't save the world. Of course we can't but we CAN help ensure a cleaner, healthier future for us & future generations. Oil prices have fallen now but will eventually rise far above what we've seen, and Malta will be paying money we don't have. We have a chance to act and to my mind an obligation to our future children to do so. @ All the pseudo-environmentalists who shoot down every idea need to WAKE UP! Malta needs action NOW!

Chris Borg

Apr 24th 2009, 17:29

The arguement that malta does not have land does not hold. Agricultural land can easily double as farming land and as a location for windfarms. The wind turbines must be spread out from one another but the base of the turbine does not occupy a large area and they are not an eyesore either.

I.Cilia

Apr 24th 2009, 16:23

@Mark Grech I guess you have no idea what sustainability means... and maybe I am a philistine... because I would prefer utilising a tract of land that will impact everyone and contribute immensely to the environment in the positive sense... but we are holier than the pope and want to leave the garigue in its immaculate form and enjoy the vistas... but at the same time we are spoiling other areas because of the pollution by power stations and everyone is paying huge amounts for electricity... but as long as we leave Majjistral Park in its pristine state then it is no problem... but well each one has his own opinion...

Steven Brockwell

Apr 24th 2009, 15:39

i agree with wind farms however, if it is true that experts say it is not viable, then why go ahead? should this not have been an open discussion with all entites so they could have their applause or objection. or is this another case of leap before we look ??? is this the same thing all over going to cost more then we will get in return.

Mark Grech

Apr 24th 2009, 15:39

@ George Debono: Yes they would destroy it. Have you ever been to a wind farm? I have. It's the ugliest and noisiest collection of structures possible. They would permanently destroy the garigue and the stupendous vistas. Not to mention Eco tourism and bird habitation.

Jesmond Farrugia

Apr 24th 2009, 15:22

Agree that PV and solar heaters should be given first priority. Beyond that, unless we have a large source of (generation) from renewables, we simply have a huge problem! It is unfortunate that wind farms (because of their visual impact) create controversy. The issue is: are these objections 'objective or subjective'?

George Debono

Apr 24th 2009, 14:50

Hey Joey! It is so really nice to hear from people who agree with wind farms,solar energy etc As you say they require a lot of space but though we are a small island... land-based wind energy s still possible (see my earlier blogs of 1 H ago). But I'm afraid that reclaiming land space from the sea would be impossible simply because the individual turbines need to be very spread out. so it would be impossiblwe to create an island big enough to accommodate Our seans are also vey deep..... G (my earlier Attempt to answer suddenly submitted itself before I was finished !!!)

Joey Borg

Apr 24th 2009, 14:23

i agree with wind farms, i agree with solar energy... i agree they require a lot of space, i agree we are a small island... So why the government does not consider reclaiming land space from the sea! Why??

George Debono

Apr 24th 2009, 14:08

@ Mark-Grech----Putting a wind farm on Majjistral Park would in effect destroy its purpose and raison d'etre.
Not quite, considering that Wind energy is a wonderful environmental goodie. Also (and-----@comments...."not despoiling land…….building onshore windfarms …..unsuited for Malta's environment"):----area of terrain actually disturbed amounts to no more than 2-5% of windfzarm surface.
Turbines can be removed leaving no trace when superior technology renders them obsolete. Life continues undisturbed beneath Windfarms ( wild-life, recreation , farming...............) Finally, and most important of all, the price of energy generated from land-based wind farms is low - equal or less than energy derived from fossil fuel generators. Of course, unlike oil-generated electricity, wind energy comes absolutely squeaky clean

@ JOSEPH ZAMMIT……why(omit)effects we and the nature have to suffer from oil pollution. Why….. is it that…we Maltese…object…to…everything?
@ Paul.Caruana ……….install………on-shore….turbines……..areas outside the MEPA…….development zones………before some bright spark comes up with an application………...

AGREE!!!

@John Azzopardi……….study upon study showing that windfarms have to cover extensive areas NIBMY issues, migratory birds……..better for government to……..) insist that every household has solar water heaters….and give assistance in that way, …….focus on getting Malta linked to the Sicilian electricity grid.

AGREE re solar heaters otherwise see comment above re terrain.

J. Borg

Apr 24th 2009, 14:07

build them in Sicily - there land is cheaper than Dar Malta in Brussels
transfer the power to Malta through cables.

C Camilleri

Apr 24th 2009, 14:02

There is an alternative to both wind power and PVs. Stirling Solar generators( see http://www.sprol.com/?p=265). These are twice as efficient as PVs and not as bulky or noisy as wind turbines. They could easily be developed and built locally since they are based on mechanical technology thus helping provide jobs and helping the economy. It would be ideal for local colleges or the university to research the best configuration and design prototypes.

Scott MacDonanld

Apr 24th 2009, 13:56

@Alex Spiteri, absolutely agree! China opens two coal fire power station a week! Malta is too small and too overpopulated for wind turbines to have any impact even on Malta let alone the planet!

Solar power on every roof would be far more effective.

If turbines have to be located, then would they not be better placed in industrial areas, near the power station or freeport where the land has already been given over to progress rather than to spoil the most beautiful views of the Maltese galapagos islands?! The same views used to lure tourists on the travel brochures from abroad!

George Debono

Apr 24th 2009, 13:51

Some quick comments:

Majjistral..park: Agree that small percentage of park's footprint is nedded- one possible problem is that it may not face the right direction.

@ Mario- Tabone-Vassallo…"fil-bahar mhux vijabbli" agree up to a point....2 problems here, Mario:….a)Sea around Malta is deep (except a few 'sikkek') and….b)offshore wind-energy is hugely expensive to build and Maintain - if we had strong winds (like N-Sea) it would be sustainable.

@ GaryBowden……..why is Solar PV not pushed more…… unused roof space:

AGREE ABSOLUTELY………and ditto……solar heaters......can save huge amoints of energ.

But diversity is the answer (ie..WIND……SUN…CABLE-to-EU Grid).

@Joe Camilleri……Where………land-based wind farm….in the core of a village? …….silly argument!
@Simon..Aquilina….needs a good number of wind turbines to have a wind farm that produces a fair amount of green energy.…… something we lack here in Malta is space. .@John Azzopaardi …..cost….covering……huge…don't ………..have..big land mass . @Mark Grech…save..remaining …….spaces…….

This is not the case: Malta might be small but our built up areas are limited to one quarter of our land surface, mostly to the North and East, with uninhabited areas in the South-west, many of which are high and exposed to our prevailing Majistral.

@………..looking.into…alternative…..renewable energy........EH??? RENEWABLE=wind,sun, etc. ALTERNATIVE=biodiesel,energy-from-waste etc.

Continues.............

Mark Grech

Apr 24th 2009, 13:11

@ I. Cilia
Putting a wind farm on Majjistral Park would in effect destroy its purpose and raison d'etre. What is it with this obsession in Malta to destroy and build on any remaining open space and unspoilt countryside? We have precious little of this left. To say that this will only impinge on the few park users is being a philistine. It's beauty and uniqueness belongs to the entire Maltese nation. To say nothing of going against EU law owing to it being a Natura 2000 site. What's the next suggestion? To build a wind farm on the cliffs of Ta-Cenc because of the prevailing winds? Simply mind boggling!

I.Cilia

Apr 24th 2009, 12:07

@Richard Curmi

i think Mr camilleri has a lot of consciousness in fact... what better way to put the Majjistral park to better use than to promote green energy... which will impact everyone rather than a minority of the population that use the Majjistral Park....

and personally i see no problems with having these wind turbines situated there... the ecological impact on this huge (by Malta's Standards) area will surely not be so large considering the small percentage of the park's footprint that these wind turbines will actually use... I am referring to the platform required to erect these turbines...

or are environmentalists now objecting to Wind turbines since they might harm the environment????

Mario Tabone-Vassallo

Apr 24th 2009, 12:01

Li nuzaw iktar energija mix-xemx u l-irjieh tajjeb hafna. Il-privat dejjem jara li johrog inqas u jdahhal iktar. Li jghidu li rdieden fil-bahar mhux vijabbli jghaggibni meta bosta pajjizi qed jinvestu fihom. Bizzejjed wiehed jara l-GB fejn mahsub li jibnu mijiet ta' rdieden fil-bahar barra dawk li ga ghandhom.ga qed jiggeneraw hafna elettriku. Dan f'pajjiz kbir mhux f'bicca blata bhalna fejn bilkemm nistghu niccaqalqu. Dawn l-irdieden enormi u tispicca tarahom minn Malta kollha. Jien ghaddejt minn hdejhom u tahthom barra minn Malta. Jien bsart milli kont smajt li nteressi tal-privat kienu bdew ihawdu l-imhuh. Minghajr ma noffendi l-ispizjara, L-ISPIZJAR MILLI JKOLLU JAGHTIK. Dawn iridu jbieghulna li ghandhom mhux li ninhtiegu. Jinhtieg nitghallmu mhux nibilghu bhall-imzazen

Jesmond Farrugia

Apr 24th 2009, 11:46

There is no doubt that such a large project does require certain preliminary studies - at least over a year.

Wind energy is certainly part of our future energy mix, as are solar heaters and PV.

Gary Bowden

Apr 24th 2009, 11:19

I do not understand why Solar PV has not been pushed more, Malta has so much unused roof space that can be used, as well as large land based Solar PV power stations that are much less visable then wind farms.
The studies I have seen for Malta, show PV is more suitable and cost efective than wind in Malta.

Joe Camilleri

Apr 24th 2009, 11:18

@ Richard Curmi

here we go again, environment and nature. Where do you think a land-based wind farm should be built? In the core of a village? And why do you think the govt is doing this? Not because of environment and nature !!!

Simon J. Aquilina

Apr 24th 2009, 11:10

I am 100% for green energy. However I cannot stop myself from asking the question if wind farms are the good solution for Malta. You cannot erect two or three wind turbines and call that a wind farm! You may need a good number of wind turbines to have a wind farm that produces a fair amount of green energy. This would require a lot of space (since these are big and need to be spaced out from each other) and something we lack here in Malta is space.

We are surrounded with water here in Malta! Can’t we investigate if using this to produce green energy may bring more advantages then using wind energy!?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wave_power

I personally do not have the knowledge to say which one is best. However I feel that because of an electoral promise the government is not really looking into all possible solution in regard to green energy.

Another good solution could be to actually try to encourage more people to install more Photovoltaic units in their households since in that way we would be re-using space rather than taking up more space!

John Azzopaardi

Apr 24th 2009, 10:55

@ Joseph Zammit. True that countries not far from us have employed windfarm energy. But as I stated before, at the cost of covering huge land areas with windmills. We do not have a big land mass here that allows us to make windfarm energy viable.

mario gellel

Apr 24th 2009, 10:55

Why is it that every time sombody or some party,reveales something that does not suit this goverment,we always get some puppet spokeman from the ministry trying to redicolat or tells us it is not in the public interest? Why waste public money on Different Experts till the goverment gets his way? If the AD is asking for the report to be made public,there should be no excuse.IT"s was financed from the maltese tax payers not from sombody in Castille

Alex Spiteri

Apr 24th 2009, 10:51

and the ongoing Climate Change myth will continue to destroy our few left stretch of unpolluted land. all this to manage to get enough energy for a few buildings?

I can’t understand how a small island like ours can contribute to this so called global change! The whole issue is another myth by the liberal left, whose freaky ideology end up in having a small country like ours believe that we can actually contribute to the worlds ill!

Instead of investing millions of euros into this bogus project, we should concentrate on our own environmental problems, mainly due to over construction and most of all illegal construction. Where is the MEPA reform that would enable more illegal development, as promised by our Prim Minister during his pre-election carnival?

If the government really wants to contribute to the World environmental problems, he simply can do so by raising his voice on international meetings about China’s over development which is main culprit of the problem and support embargos on Chinese products!

Manuel Mifsud

Apr 24th 2009, 10:49

Come on! Let's start doing something to exploit wind energy. If we go on arguing and wasting time we will surely miss the boat and risk losing precious EU funds. They are not going to wait for us till eternity!

Mark Grech

Apr 24th 2009, 10:42

@ Joe Camilleri: Please tell me you're joking? The Majjistral nature & heritage park has not been saved from being turned into a golf course for it to be ruined by building a wind farm there! Talk about cultural and environmental vandalism!
Malta is the second most densely populated country on this planet. We should be saving the last few remaining open spaces and unspoilt environment not despoiling them by building onshore windfarms. They are particularly unsuited for Malta's environment.
We need to be looking into alternative means of renewable energy.

JOSEPH ZAMMIT

Apr 24th 2009, 10:33

@Mr. Curmi.
Speaking about environment and nature.. why dont you mention the effects we and the nature have to suffer from oil pollution. Why is it that countries a few miles far from our island are investing in this green energy and we Maltese keep objecting on everything?
In my opinion based on wind information i gathered myself over the last few years wind generation in Malta can compete with PV generation while using a much small land / sea area. I encourage the goverment to also promote more usage of such green energy generators

Paul Caruana

Apr 24th 2009, 10:25

I would suggest the government install these on shore wind turbines where this is feasable in those areas outside the MEPA designated building development zones, before some bright spark comes up with an application to construct yet another "farmhouse", "water reservoir", "horse stables", whatever..........

John Azzopardi

Apr 24th 2009, 10:24

There have been study upon study showing that windfarms have to cover extensive areas and contain large numbers of windmills to get anywhere close to being feasible. Besides, there are the aesthetic issues, the NIBMY issues, as well as the impact the windmills make on migratory birds. It would be far better for government to (1) insist that every household has solar water heaters and give assistance in that way, and (2) focus on getting Malta linked to the Sicilian electricity grid.

Joseph Vella

Apr 24th 2009, 10:23

What about Comino? Or is this ruled out?
Area to area, you can practically double the amount of turbines if you use Comino.

Richard Curmi

Apr 24th 2009, 10:22

I just cannot believe why money is wasted in such studies. These are simply not viable to do on such a small island. Joe Camilleri, do you have one little piece of consciousness in you about the environment and nature or not?

George Debono

Apr 24th 2009, 10:15

Let us hope it will be a decent sized (& therefore sustainable) wind farm and not a toy farm.

The wind farm originally proposed on Marfa ridge in 2004 would be about the right size to start with, This was a farm of 12 huge turbines with an output of 33MW - anything smaller will be a waste of time & money. It will be a majestic sight and well away from residential areas.

G

Joe Camilleri

Apr 24th 2009, 09:47

It could always be situated at the Majjistral Park. That is a very big strech of land.