Disused landfill to be Gozo solar farm
Pilot project might be rolled out in Malta too if successful
The Qortin landfill site in Gozo was closed down in 2004. Photo: Max Xuereb
A significant part of Gozo’s former landfill, known as Qortin, will soon be converted into the island’s first solar farm, The Times has learnt.
A spokesman for the Government confirmed the project was “already in an advanced planning stage” with the aim of transforming the area into a solar energy production site.
A source close to the project revealed that around 6,000 square metres of rehabilitated landfill will be used for the installation of some 2,700 photovoltaic panels.
Preliminary studies show the farm could produce 900,000 electricity units a year. A two-person household is estimated to consume about 10 electricity units a day, without an air conditioner.
The source said this venture will be used as a pilot project, and if successful, may be used on a much larger scale for the Magħtab landfill in Malta.
The landfill was closed down in 2004 after 30 years of acting as the dump for all the waste produced in Gozo, particularly construction material.
Qortin one of several other planned solar farm projects
Through a €3.5 million investment from EU funds the area is now being rehabilitated.
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi has said the Government was devising plans to give incentives to those who did not own a roof or lived in apartments to invest in renewable energy schemes, such as solar and wind farms. In return, they would benefit from reduced energy bills.
Apart from the Qortin project, there are a number of other solar farm projects in the pipeline.
A few weeks ago, the Government awarded a contract to a private company to convert 67,000 square metres of public rooftops into mini-solar parks. Another 40,000 square metres of rooftops are in the process of being rolled out for similar projects, while Malta Enterprise is working on the possibility of using factory roofs for the purpose.
The installation of PV technology, particularly in the domestic sector, was given a boost in the past few years, particularly through various incentive schemes.
A total of €17 million of EU funds have been used by 6,700 families to install PV panels on their homes.
The EU is also evaluating another application by Maltese authorities to launch a new EU-funded scheme, which according to the Government would be worth more than €17 million.
According to the National Energy Plan, PV panels in Malta are producing some 16MW of clean energy, with 10MW being fed directly to the grid.
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Mario Pandolfino
Dec 25th 2012, 22:05
The ex'landfill at Luqa is another potential solar farm location.Another large area is the closed landfill at wied fulija at zurrieq. Lets go for it bis sahha tal flus mil l'europa.
leo briffa
Dec 25th 2012, 06:29
its a good idea and it would feed around 230 families, other sites need to be found and used as solar farms. lots of unused areas. in between the panels we should use wind generators too. this should have been the plan years ago. never too late.
B. Farrugia
Dec 25th 2012, 00:12
It will probably be ready before the next election.
c s staines
Dec 24th 2012, 18:52
Further....it is worrying that the article mentions other PV farms in the pipeline....where are these going to be? Agricultural land? sites of outstanding natural beauty? speculators unhappy with undevelopable ODZs ? I hope that our land will be protected from all sorts of development especially when in this case there exist plenty of other options for PVs, e.g. car parks, industrial zones, etc.
c s staines
Dec 24th 2012, 18:44
Although PVs in general are a good source of energy, one must be very wary about solar farms and their site location on such a small island such as Malta - we have got very limited green areas for the use of the general public. If old landfills are reinstated close to their original natural state, then these should be made available to families to enjoy the outdoors. Further....
C. ZERAFA
Dec 24th 2012, 18:35
Nispera li jirranga il-Feed in tariff ta meta tinqabez il-kwotta miftehema mal-MRA, mhux kif taqbez l'ammont ihalsek b' 0.11cents ta euro kull unit.
(jekk ikollok 2 KW x 1600 jigu 3200 unit fis-sena iktar min 3200 + units tigi imhallas 0.11 cents mhux b' 0.25 cents) min investa qed jissusidja lil Enemalta.
Joe Grech
Dec 24th 2012, 18:35
But George Pullicino had promised us Maghtab would be turned into a picnicing area. Has his pet project misfired? How much money has he spent on this particular mishandled project?
Mr Alistaire Gill
Dec 24th 2012, 17:13
L-ikel fid-dinja qed jiskarsa kif qed tiskarsa l-art agrikola Malta. Food security ghanda tkun l-ewwel prijorita. Hemm tant bjut li jistghu jiehdu dawn il-panelli, mhux ahjar nutilizzawhom. Nahsbu fil-boghod.
John Bezzina
Dec 24th 2012, 18:29
Would you eat anything from land reclamed from a landfill (mizbla)???? I think that this a good idea.
Chris Sammut
Dec 24th 2012, 16:09
I see now I get the picture, if I remember well Matghab was going to be an area where trees and plants were going to be planted.
Mr Bartolo Edward
Dec 24th 2012, 15:31
I think, the solution is not green energy but carbon capture. This is because green energy is very expensive to produce, requires large areas to be dedicated to it and will never completely replace the major forms of energy production.
The ultimate solution is nuclear fusion, but that is still under experimentation. Carbon capture is the solution until nuclear fusion becomes economically possible
J Tabone
Dec 24th 2012, 14:48
The facts are that the PN is using the month that Muscat gave them to milk as many votes as possible. All that they haven't done in 20 years of government is being promised now as if it is the holy grail! Then when Muscat does it they will claim it's THEIR project! - MEPA permits are being issued galore!!!
G Caruana
Dec 24th 2012, 15:52
Muscat promises hallucinations for the gullible
Joseph Aquilina
Dec 24th 2012, 17:26
... are you referring to the month Joseph Muscat needed to re organise lejber? A move that will fail unless he himself resigns!!
Joe M Borg
Dec 24th 2012, 18:32
J Tabone. If you didn't see any work done by Pn in the last 20 (sic) years, it's YOUR fault. First, in the last 20 years, there was MLP for 22 month! Second, I don't blame for not seeing any work done by PN. If you spent 20 years watching Onetv! Third. Muscat intends to fulfil the PN budget as HIS OWN BUDGET! Get it? Wake up before it's too late.
twanny borg
Dec 24th 2012, 18:36
Muscat lanqas kif jista' jorhsu l-kontijiet tad-dawl u l-ilma ma jrid jghid. Dik imhabba ghal poplu?
shirley tamti
Dec 24th 2012, 14:33
for the second time please stop talking politics. it's christmas and we have been going on this way for a year now. jekk tiftah it-tv issib il-peppi li irsienu jieklu jekk ma jidx xi haga favur il-pn. super1 u net ovjament x'inhuma jamlu. give us a break. you are ruing our xmas
Edward Mallia
Dec 24th 2012, 13:59
We must get away from this EITHER/OR mentality in renewable energy. We need to explore every possible source. PV by itself will NOT get us near that 10% of ALL ENERGY USE by 2020. So despite these trumpetings on PV, government has fallen flat on wind energy, invoking all sorts of spurious excuses for not exploiting ON-SHORE Malta and Gozo potential and ignoring completely Gozo OFF-SHORE.
Paul Cassar
Dec 24th 2012, 13:56
BUT................ all these projects should be up and running after 20 years of pn governments milking us dry with taxes 4,000,000,000e annually................where have all that money gone.....................now don't dare mention some projects because such money is enough for many, many more................of course not in 4 million commission or likewise...........MALTESE PLEASE GROW UP.
shirley tamti
Dec 24th 2012, 13:49
happy christmas to everyone. please stop talking politics from bought sides. ajjejtuna biss serjeta. pbs mhux se nara aktar. llum peepi irnexxielu jamel propagonda lil gvern bil kaz ta leah. qazzistuna bougfht parties.
James Tyrrell
Dec 24th 2012, 13:39
First of all why now? Why not four years ago or eight years ago. Another election stunt like 'Eco Gozo.' Also where are they buying the panels from China? They are not exactly efficient if they are averaging less than one unit per day per panel!
Mr Tony Gatt
Dec 24th 2012, 14:35
As usual, go for the cheapest!!
C Borg
Dec 24th 2012, 15:39
that's probably an average which is usually kept on the lower side so that it will definitely be achieved.
Then efficiency varies due to other factors like maintenance (cleaning) and installation itself, irrespectively of their country of origin, though I tend to prefer other countries.
ANTHONY PAVIA
Dec 24th 2012, 16:05
A reliable guestimate (I believe Uni sourced) is slightly less than 1 unit per day! That is obtained daily results averaged over 365 days.
C Sant
Dec 24th 2012, 16:55
A typocal 220W panel gives an average of 0.99kw per day. The average useful sunlight on the Maltese Islands is of 4.5hrs per day. This data can be obtained from a paper published by Edward Mallia et al some years ago. James stop threading on ground that angels fear to thread!
Mr charles azzopardi
Dec 24th 2012, 13:31
pity it is not sunny today ...
c scudi
Dec 24th 2012, 13:07
At long last..We have abundant sun capable of producing vast amount of energy.Am sure we can become almost self sufficient in clean renewable energy.Am also encouraged by the initiative being taken to provide this type of energy for people without roofs!!..excellent
j brincat
Dec 24th 2012, 12:39
@Marco Farrugia
"what are labour's proposals?"
Don't you know that curiosity killed the proverbial cat?
By the way where are Toppled GonziPN's proposals (for all that they are worth) except for these election stunts?
In any case you will soon have your answer!
(jb)
j brincat
Dec 24th 2012, 12:36
Unbelievable but true.
Miracles do seem to come our way JUST before a general election!
Only to vanish in thin air once it is over and done with!
Deja vu, no?
(jb)
twanny borg
Dec 24th 2012, 18:43
@J. brincat- Bhal ma fi zmien il-pl niftakar qabel elezzjoni fiis-sebejnijiet morna naraw ir-regency il-belt suppost kopja ta' pont li kellu jsir bejn malta u ghawdex? Tiftakar sur brincat jew kont ghadek ma twelidx? Wara l-elezzjoni qalu li mhux viabbli. Dahqu b'kullhadd.
Marco Farrugia
Dec 24th 2012, 12:17
what are labour's proposals? And i m asking for concrete proposals, not just vague promises like - we will support green energy and bla bla bla...
will JM promise us that he ll maintain the 25cents unit price that we are currently being paid as per current contract? (Even if he lowers the E&W bills)
Vincent Cassar
Dec 24th 2012, 12:33
You will know those sometime after the 7th January....in the meantime keep guessing :)
C Borg
Dec 24th 2012, 15:29
Mr Farrugia
the 25c/ unit will be maintained until your agreement with MRA shall expire. After that I don't think you will get that rate any more be it labour or pn in government. If you heard the last budget the rates proposed for new PV installations is around 17c and this without any subsidy for the installation itself.
S Muscat
Dec 24th 2012, 12:14
Prosit!!! Kif qeghdin inbidlu zoni rurali jekk mhux bini b'dawn it-tipi ta' progetti!!! Prosit nerga nghid!!!
Marco Farrugia
Dec 24th 2012, 12:22
maybe the article doesnt make that much emphasis so let me spell it out for you - L.A.N.D.F.I.L.L
S Muscat
Dec 24th 2012, 18:43
Ehe so what if its Landfill!!? To me its still a rural area!!!!!
Marco Farrugia
Dec 24th 2012, 12:12
the government has been investing and promoting clean solar energy for years now!! There are hundreds of families who have benefited from such initiatives.
and yes, there were studies conducted to evaluate alternative options as well. There could always be other viable alternatives.
So for all the whiners, please do stop throwing mud hoping that some will eventually stick.
R Abela
Dec 24th 2012, 12:09
election harry potter!
Carl Carabott
Dec 24th 2012, 12:03
Parti minn kampanja ta' gideb! Soltu stejjer u weghdi ta' gnzpn.........dan hu l-manifest ta' simonelli lol
twanny borg
Dec 24th 2012, 18:44
Weghdi, malta mimlija progetti?
Joseph Bugeja
Dec 24th 2012, 11:44
This is nothing but a cheap election ploy.
Some quick calculating shows that a family of 4 (the average Maltese) consumes around 9000 units annually (air-conditioning included). So this large farm would cater for around a 100 families. The land in question could be made far better use of even if only trees were planted (at a fraction of the price of a solar farm). Some energy plan!!!
C Sant
Dec 24th 2012, 16:59
Unfortunately that is the limiting factor for PV, space! BTW, we are a family of 5, with AC and electric oven and my yearly consumption is slightly less than 7000units.
Vincent Gauci
Dec 24th 2012, 11:42
Good move. Prosit!
Damien Digby
Dec 24th 2012, 11:40
Come on Malta & Gozo lets get our act together, forget the politics for a minute & make these projects a winner. New technology is giving us a way to use our 'natural resources' like never before. Turning a former waste dump into something that will help build a cleaner, greener Malta is better for our children, our environment & better for tourism, plus cheaper power bills - everyone wins!!
C Borg
Dec 24th 2012, 11:06
Just before last election we were told that this site was going to be converted into a family park. Now we are told of a solar farm. Any of the ideas or possibly both would be fine as far as they actually materialise!
Mario Gafa
Dec 24th 2012, 10:57
Progressing the development of Photo-Voltaics (PV) arrays in Malta is a positive sign. However, we should also look at other viable alternative renewable resources such as Wind Energy. The wind turbines gives much higher output compared with the land it occupies. Also when wind is available, energy is produced both during the night and day, rather than during the light of day.
pat muscat
Dec 24th 2012, 10:12
Fl-ahhar gimghat ta l-elezzjoni l-ghegubijiet se jindakru bil-goff fuq din l-gzira!
Jo Camm
Dec 24th 2012, 11:04
Tassew ta!!! Il-gvern imissu ilu li waqaf jahdem u jhalli kollox ghal min jitla' warajh.
Iddahaqniex Pat.
pat muscat
Dec 24th 2012, 19:09
Mela ghadek ma tridtx tammetti li l-Gvern moribond ghal sena, f'Dicembru waqa bit-deputati tieghu stess?
Eman Pulis
Dec 24th 2012, 09:49
Admittedly, I haven't done much reading about this topic. However, why can't we look at the bigger picture? Greece and Cyprus have plenty of sunlight and, unlike Malta, land available. Can't Malta build farms in Greece instead? The Greek financial crisis could also be addressed.
ANTHONY PAVIA
Dec 24th 2012, 11:33
No need to go so far away. However, if that is the way forward, with land so cheap in nearby Sicily, the answer lies nearby. I cannot ever imagine the use of Maghtab, this area being bang in the middle of tourist territory. Ta'Qali and Hal-far would be immensely more appropriate.
Mr Tony Gatt
Dec 24th 2012, 09:42
That's more like it- forget the windmills!
Rita Borg
Dec 24th 2012, 16:42
Well, on the eve of an election I dont know what is more Quixotic - WIndmills or PVs ?
David Magro
Dec 24th 2012, 09:33
Issa kumbinazzjoni! Kemm waqa lura fuq il-policy nazzjonali tal energija alternattiva gp. Kemm ghamel studji, qabad esperti....xejn hlief skemi tal pv ghal min jaffrdja....issa stebah fuq dan il-progett fuq livell nazzjonali....kemm jahsibna lura?
Kevin Vella
Dec 24th 2012, 09:24
2,465 units a day ................. how many panels ?????
I Bugeja
Dec 24th 2012, 09:44
Its written on the article. Read it before you comment in order to have a comment first in.
Kevin Vella
Dec 24th 2012, 12:32
yes ur right Mr Bugeja sorry about that so its 2,700 panels so calculating its less than 1 unit per day every panel, Goverment was offered a technology that cound produce average 6 units per day every panel rough calculation is 16200 units per day which summer up to 5,913,000 units per year and not 900,000 units per year i wonder no action was taken !!!!!
C Sant
Dec 24th 2012, 17:00
What technology are you speaking about?
ANTHONY PAVIA
Dec 26th 2012, 11:08
Kevin, do you have the right figures? If correct, is this technology available for domestic use? If yes, would the importers take an advert in the TOM and inform us of it?
Paul Caruana
Dec 24th 2012, 09:17
About time...such solar farms make much more sense than offshore wind farms. It is a no brainer that in sunny Malta we should be covering every available square inch of Maltese land exposed to the sun with solar panels.
In comparison to us, I always found it astonishing that in sunlight poor Germany rooftops are teeming with PV panels everywhere you look!
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