A minister for energy

Over six months ago the government released its proposed energy policy for consulta-tion. Hopefully, the results of this would eventually be published.

Since then some progress has been made in the energy field. In preparation for the turbines at Sikka l-bajda, an 80-metre wind monitoring mast was erected to develop a wind profile of the area - measuring wind speed and direction.

Earlier advice on wind energy from various sources, including United Nations experts, discouraged investment in wind energy in Malta due to irregular and unreliable winds. This monitoring mast should clarify once and for all the potential for wind energy locally.

It is also encouraging to see that although it appears that the government is banking on wind energy, probably influenced by the European Commission, other sources of renewable energy are not being ignored.

The recent announcement that it is planning to cover 70,000 square metres of roof space on government buildings with solar panels is a step in the right direction, assuming that the correct type of technology is used to exploit the relatively small area. It is refreshing to note that the government is taking some of the suggestions made rather seriously. It should now also consider other ideas to exploit the power of the sun.

To supplement this initiative the government could also now consider selecting a village or town in Malta and another in Gozo and turning them into experimental 'solar towns or villages' to be repeated in other parts of the island if proven successful. With the current state of solar technology, panels should hardly be visible from the streets and therefore would not be an eyesore. This could also be connected to the national grid.

Solar power should be the centrepiece of any viable policy on renewable energy sources (RES), but this does not mean that the current efforts to develop wind energy should be contained or reduced. We need renewable energy from all possible sources and with the current windmill technology, wind must certainly have a place in any future RES policy if the latest efforts at measuring the wind prove it is feasible.

Irrespective of this, however, care should be taken not to put too much emphasis on wind at the expense of solar power since more and more research is coming to light giving the edge to solar power over wind. For Malta, this should not come as a surprise. A recent statement to the Royal Society from a Nobel laureate from CERN warns: "Wind is not the future." He called wind "an illusory technology that represents a cul-de-sac of wasteful resources" and stated that the future lies in technologies such as solar thermal power.

Malta should never put all its eggs in one basket, particularly in the area of RES, nor shoulf it wait for more technological breakthroughs in this field.

Two major considerations should be kept in mind for any future energy policy. First, we should not put ourselves in a position where we do not have an alternative energy source if one fails. Second, an effective RES policy to eventually replace our complete dependence on foreign oil is imperative for us not because we have to meet the EU targets, but simply because we have no alternative if we want our country to be a better place to live.

We must at all costs look beyond our borders to witness the unprecedented progress that is being achieved in the area of new and renewable sources of energy, even in countries that are major suppliers of oil, which, according to some scientific sources, may be exhausted in 50 or 60 years.

To ensure that energy policy is put into practice in a comprehensive and effective manner, the government should consider putting energy under one portfolio to be headed by a minister or possibly a parliamentary secretary to guarantee consistent and more aggressive coverage.

This new ministry should primarily deal with all aspects of RES. In addition to solar and wind, the ministry should deal with newer areas of renewables available from the sea around us, like algae, and other areas like biomass waste, landfill and sewage treatment gases. Water should also be part of this ministry. It should not, however, include the regulatory roles like those of the Malta Resources Authority.

This proposal should not be interpreted as a criticism of the current structure. It should be seen as an effort to eliminate any impression of dealing with energy in a piecemeal fashion and as an effort to be more aggressive in implementing recommendations.