New photovoltaic scheme fully subscribed in hours

All 416 applications allotted for this year's grant on photovoltaic panels were taken up within a few hours with people queuing outside the Malta Resources Authority offices in Marsa from as early as 4 a.m.

A spokesman said the MRA started compiling a provisional list in the order they were received and later on yesterday closed the scheme completely.

The Renewable Energy Incentive Scheme, which opened yesterday, offers a grant of half the eligible costs up to a maximum of €3,000 on the purchase of photovoltaic systems.

The scheme is open to anyone, except those who have already benefited from a similar scheme in the past.

It also offers a grant of 40 per cent of the eligible costs up to a maximum of €560 on the purchase of solar water heating systems.

However, unlike previous schemes, not everyone will be eligible for the assistance.

The solar water heaters' scheme will be limited to families entitled to the energy benefit, those who receive supplementary assistance, families entitled to a fixed children's allowance, which are those with an income of under €23,923, all Gozo residents, low-income families and first-time buyers purchasing property that costs less than €120,000.

The budget allocated for the scheme, co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund - Social Cohesion Fund, is of €3.8 million for grants on the purchase of photovoltaic systems and €4.2 million for grants on the purchase of solar water heaters technologies.

Announcing the schemes, Resources Minister George Pullicino said it was estimated that 416 families would benefit from the PV panels scheme and 2,500 families for the solar water heater scheme.

He said the investment people had to make for a solar water heater was of about €1,200, of which up to a maximum of €560 would be refunded. Within three years, the investment would have been paid off.

With regard to photovoltaic panels, the investment is heftier, about €7,000. Within seven to eight years, the investment would have been paid off.

He said that, thanks to the several energy schemes launched over the years, the government was spending €5 million less in generating electricity.

Mr Pullicino said nearly 3,700 of the estimated 4,000 benefitted from the schemes launched last year. The largest number of solar panels was installed in Mosta, Birkirkara and Naxxar.

In view of yesterday's early response, he said the ministry would seek ways to adjust the amounts between the two schemes, always within the total budget of €8 million.

MRA CEO Anthony Rizzo said that, although there had been a backlog in last year's scheme, which was mainly due to lacking details in applications, refunds were usually handed out within one month.