Wind mast gets extension

The lifespan of the temporary wind monitoring mast at L-Aħrax in Mellieħa has been extended by another two years to allow more data to be collected.

The government wants the extra period in order to confirm the results reached so far that point to the viability of an offshore wind farm at Mellieħa’s Sikka l-Bajda, which would provide electricity for some 40,000 households.

The plan is for the €300 million project to be in place by 2016, four years before EU countries must generate 10 per cent of their energy through renewable sources. The wind farm alone would cover just over three per cent.

Constructing an offshore wind farm is a lengthy process and foreign projects have taken between six and eight years to construct, including the time taken for studies and commissioning.

Asked whether the two year-extension would affect the deadline for the wind farm, the Rural Affairs Ministry said the data collected so far was enough for the government to know it would work. The extra studies, he said, would help increase the accuracy of the data.

Meanwhile, a number of other studies are being carried out for an environment impact assessment report that would be submitted as part of the planning application for the wind farm, the spokesman said. While these studies were being completed, the wind mast could continue to collect more data.

The go-ahead for the extension was yesterday granted by the planning authority on an application by the ministry. The mast can only be used until 2013, after which it must be dismantled and the site restored to its original condition.

Wind studies at L-Aħrax point began in November 2009 after the 80-metre wind mast was installed. The data collected from the mast is being correlated to the wind data that has been collected since 1997 from a wind station at Wied Rini, near Baħrija.

Between 19 and 24 wind turbines, each with a diameter of between 100 and 126 metres, are expected to be installed at Sikka L-Bajda, a reef covering an area of 11 square kilometres situated some two kilometres to the east of L-Aħrax tal-Mellieħa.