The planning authority informed the government months ago there would be no point in pursuing further studies for a wind farm at Is-Sikka l-Bajda in Mellieħa because of “unacceptable impacts”.

This contrasts with what the Energy Ministry told Times of Malta recently, that a decision on the wind farm would be taken once “technical, environmental and feasibility studies are concluded”.

While Malta makes plans to profit from renewable energy projects in Europe through agreements with China, the country’s investment in renewable projects at home remains questionable.

A Mepa spokesman told The Sunday Times of Malta that studies conducted already showed that the wind farm would have multiple significant impacts on the environment that cannot be effectively mitigated.

“Although the EIA [Environment Impact Assessment] process related to the proposed wind farm at Is-Sikka l-Bajda is not formally exhausted... Mepa has communicated to the applicant there would be no point pursuing further long-drawn and expensive EIA procedures that will clearly not add value to the decision-making,” he said.

After all the time and resources spent on wind energy studies, the public deserves to know the realistic prospects for wind turbines

The Appropriate Assessment, which was required in view of the obligations of the Habitats Directive, had already indicated unacceptable impacts on the nearby seabird colonies and Natura 2000 sites, according to Mepa.

Wind studies at L-Aħrax Point began in November 2009 after an 80-metre wind mast was installed.

The plan was to install 19 to 24 wind turbines at Is-Sikka l-Bajda, which could provide electricity for some 40,000 households, or about 10 per cent of what Enemalta produces annually.

These studies cost at least €300,000, according to information that had been released by the previous administration.

In its reply to Times of Malta, the Energy Ministry did not answer a question on the total amount spent on all studies to date.

Meanwhile, Friends of the Earth (Malta) has called for more transparency on energy plans.

“After all the time and resources spent on wind energy studies, the public deserves to know what the realistic prospects for onshore and offshore wind turbines are,” the NGO said.

The environmental organisation questioned the minister’s claim that Malta would reach the projected renewable energy sources share for 2014 by using photovoltaics (PV), solar thermal (a contribution not easily assessed) and bio fuel.

Malta’s performance on renewal energy so far has been abysmal. With only 1.4 per cent of energy coming from renewable sources, it remains stuck at the bottom of the EU list for investment in renewable energy.

Malta’s energy agreement with China and its promise to facilitate the penetration of its renewable energy industry in Europe and North Africa has become increasingly significant as Standard & Poor’s have announced in a report that Chinese companies have racked up US$14.2 trillion in debt: more than any other country.

The fact that China’s solar industry is one of the worst hit has regularly topped international financial headlines.

Rising demand for Chinese solar panels is important to counter a global oversupply that erased profits across the industry and bankrupted more than a dozen companies.

In China last week, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat announced more than 30 potential solar and wind energy farm projects in Europe have been identified through the partnership between Shanghai Electric Power and Enemalta.

Wind farm studies conducted include:

• The impact of wind farm on birds and bats, and on the marine ecology.

• Visual and noise impact.

• The impact of the rotating shadow of the turbines.

• The impact on the
quality of the marine environment, including possible pollution.

• Study on possible archaeological remains;

• The impact on air traffic.

• The effect on communications, including mobile coverage.

• The impact on fishing and aquaculture.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.