Call for tenders for photovoltaic panels on public buildings issued

M.Caruana

Nov 13th 2009, 19:26

It is well known that not everyone has the space or the opportunity to install a solar water heater or photovotiac panel on roofs because not everyone has access to a roof. The government could have established a policy where people who do not have such access and want to contribute (and get something back) could pay part of the photovoltaic panels on public buildings and then a calculation made which would offset some of the contributers electricity bills. Therefore.. I pay X amount (something up to a normal solar water heater price), the government uses these funds to fund the whole or parts of the project. Then the contributers would sort of own part of the project themselves and be compensated with savings in their utility bills equivalent to what the panels generate or on a calcuation of what a solar water heater would save a household. A win win situation for the government and for a thousands of families who live in flats/maisonettes with no ownership of roof (therefore cannot install solar heaters or panels) Why wasn't this included in the budget document- we've spoken so much about doing the same thing in foreign countries, why not here?