Malta is among 15 member states planning to exceed EU renewable energy targets for 2020 with Italy and Luxembourg failing to meet the set objectives.
According to an agreement reached a few years ago, Malta has to produce 10 per cent of its total energy consumption by 2020 from renewable energy sources. Although the amount of renewable energy produced is presently negligible, Malta is planning to be in a position to generate 10.2 per cent of its energy consumption from renewables in nine years’ time.
Plans submitted to Brussels at the end of last year show the main source of renewable energy would be three new wind farms – two onshore in Wied Rini, Baħrija and in Ħal Far, and an offshore facility at is-Sikka l-Bajda, about 1.5 kilometres from the coast at L-Aħrax tal-Mellieħa.
Reaching the targets depends on the feasibility of the wind farms, especially the one at Is-Sikka l-Bajda. Resources Minister George Pullicino had warned last year that if this proposed wind farm was not feasible Malta would be “stuck”.
The plans show that the smallest wind farm at Ħal Far, with a modest capacity of 4.2 megawatts annually, is expected to start operating in 2013 followed in 2015 by a bigger wind farm producing 10.2MW at Wied Rini. The biggest renewable energy project to be built – the offshore 95MW wind farm at Is-Sikka l-Bajda – is earmarked to start producing energy in 2016.
Apart from these multi-million euro investments, Malta is also planning a mix of other renewable production facilities. These include the production of energy from waste, which, by 2020, should supply over two per cent of Malta’s electricity consumption, use of photovoltaic technology on a large scale and more solar water heaters.
On a general level, the EU’s analyses of the 27 plans submitted by member states show the Union will exceed its target of meeting 20 per cent of its gross final energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020.
Taken together, the action plans show the EU-27 will meet 20.7 per cent of its 2020 energy consumption from renewable energy.
Wind energy will generate 14 per cent of Europe’s total electricity demand in 2020, more than any other renewable source, up from 4.2 per cent in 2009. Ireland will be the country with the highest wind energy penetration level at 36.4 per cent of its total electricity demand followed by Denmark at 31 per cent.
The plans show that the 34 per cent of EU electricity demand met by renewables in 2020 will be made up of 14.1 per cent from wind energy (10 per cent onshore, four per cent offshore), 10.5 per cent from hydro, 6.6 per cent from biomass, 2.7 per cent from solar photovoltaic, 0.3 per cent from geothermal and 0.1 per cent from ocean generated energy.