Malta's renewable energy prospects

The Marsa power station is on the way out, as stipulated by the Large Combustion Plants Directive, its remaining operating hours to be consumed by not later than December 31, 2015. However, a realistic analysis of Malta's renewable energy prospects does not entail a scenario whereby we can debunk altogether the use of conventional energy sources. The same applies to our EU counterparts.

Under the Climate and Energy Package, the EU bloc is committed towards achieving an overall binding target of 20 per cent share of renewable energy sources in terms of energy consumption by 2020. This share has been distributed among the EU-27 in conformity with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, such that whereas for, say, Sweden, the target stands at 49 per cent in final energy consumption, Malta's binding renewables target is set at 10 per cent. Comparisons may be odious but official EU documentation has it that, by 2005, Sweden had already achieved a remarkable 39.7 per cent of its ultimate 2020 renewable energy target compared to Malta's zero per cent.

Comparing Malta with Sweden may be extreme and unfair given our geophysical and financial constraints and, above all, our human resource limitations. It is definitely not opportune to indulge in a whitewash rubbishing of our efforts in the renewable energy sector. But few would disagree that this is an unacceptable laggard-like situation, symptomatic of lack of acumen by our political leaders.

The comparison with Sweden may be taken a bit further, not just politically but on principles of equity. To what extent is the Sweden-is-to-Malta ratio, 49 per cent-is-to-10 per cent, effectively in line with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities given Sweden's socio-economic and geophysical potential, for example? Is Malta's target unrealistic, after all?

Irrespective of opinion on the above, Malta's 10 per cent target is established in Annex I of Directive 2009/28/EC, which refers to "mandatory national targets" rather than "indicative" targets, as in the previous legislative framework, Directive 2001/77/EC (now repealed), to ensure certainty for investors in the renewable energy technology sector and also for the sustained development of this sector. It therefore comes as no surprise that the EU Commission has put its foot down against any proposal or possibility for Malta to re-negotiate on the renewables target issue.

Article 2 ( a ) of the directive defines "energy from renewable sources" as "energy from renewable non-fossil sources, namely wind, solar, aerothermal, geothermal, hydrothermal and ocean energy, hydropower, biomass, landfill gas, sewage treatment plant gas and biogases". As far as the Maltese islands are concerned, the most feasible possibilities in tapping renewable energy sources clearly lie in solar and wind power. Waste is considered a renewable energy source by virtue of the landfill gas and biogases that can be extracted from it and as defined by the directive.

Malta's solar power prospects look good. Our high insolation levels should make it relatively easy for a photovoltaic/solar water heating market to develop, despite the fact that the limited government subsidies and initiatives seem not to have triggered the market take off originally intended.

Medium-scale concentrated solar power, whereby the generation of green electricity through photovoltaics or similar technology, should not be discarded altogether given that the Marsa power station site should soon be made vacant, definitely by not later than 2015. Feasibility studies could show that exploiting the site for such a purpose could be viable and cost-effective. There still exists a dire need, however, to get more concrete on direct tapping of solar energy from households, schools, commercial and government establishments. In this respect, the situation still leaves much to be desired and for some, especially foreigners, it is quite surprising.

The Magħtab rehabilitation project has been designed to include the extraction of landfill gas, mostly methane, which is then converted into electrical power.

Although, on a minor scale, the same roughly applies to the Sant'Antnin waste recycling plant where the technology installed is meant to extract biogas, close in chemical composition to landfill gas, from biodegradable municipal solid waste. However, the success of Sant'Antnin and any other related ventures depends on whether we shall be responsive enough to exploit biodegradable waste fractions through an adequate recycling system in conformity with the EU Landfill Directive targets, tough as these may be. It is truly alarming that the Environment Report 2008 states that whereas municipal waste generation in the EU25 is projected to increase by 25 per cent over 2005 values by 2020 the projections for Malta are expected to be as high as 60 per cent.

Article 7 of Directive 2009/28/EC allows for "joint projects" between member states relating to the production of electricity from renewable energy sources. This point is developed further in article 9, including so-called "third countries" (possibly non-EU member states), through which arrangements could be made for the setting up of large-scale renewable energy projects, such as wind farms, on their territory with more favourable geophysical conditions and once the electricity generated from such sites is fed into the European grid, this would be taken into account for meeting a member state's national target on renewable energy.

The sophisticated legalese in articles seven and nine of Directive 2009/28/EC needs to be closely examined but could possibly offer Malta another option with regard to the issue of wind farm sites. Directive 2009/28/EC also hints that the EU is already paving its future role in the development of a Mediterranean solar plan. Good government with an effective foreign policy is obviously a prime requisite if we decide to move in this direction.

The author specialises in environmental management.

sapulis@gmail.com