The strong north-west wind blowing through St George’s Square, Valletta, was the perfect backdrop for Alternattiva Demokratika’s press conference on sustainable energy yesterday morning.

The budgets allocated so far have been too insignificant

AD general secretary Raplh Cassar said major investment in renewable energy was crucial: “The budgets allocated so far have been too insignificant,” he said, noting that it was unacceptable that the country did not make use of its sun and wind.

“There’s so much that can be done with what is naturally available to us so that we no longer need to depend on fuels,” he said, listing wave energy, micro-turbines, and a mix of technology. In its electoral programme, AD is promoting the concept of ‘Green Jobs’ – proposing incentives of venture capital and soft loans be given to companies which generate jobs in the renewable energy sphere.

On utility bills, he said “wasteful practices” and not the basic use of electricity and water which ought “to be penalised”.

Households who made use of PVs should have their bills discounted.

Industries, he said, should not be encouraged to waste more energy with very low utility bills, but should instead be given incentives so they invest in sustainable energy.

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