Solar farms will only succeed if Enemalta sees them as complementary to its own gener-ation, rather than as a threat to its ­revenue, Mark Bajada, the chairman of Bajada New Energy, has warned.

“The energy from a solar farm would obviously reduce a customer’s consumption – and if they are heavy consumers, then the energy saved would be from the highest tariff band of 65c per unit.

“This is the most lucrative band for Enemalta, the one on which its margin is highest, and we understand that it would not want to relinquish it.

“But consumers should have the option of cheaper energy,” he said.

Mepa has issued a public consultation document on its solar farm policy, and is seeking feedback until February 13. The policy outlines the definition of a solar farm and the areas where installations can be located. These are limited to areas like large-scale roofs, disused landfills and quarries, and parking areas. Open countryside and arable land are being excluded. The solar farms will be given 30-year leases and should be done in such a way that the site can be de-commissioned and returned to its original state.

The solar farm policy is just one of the many ways in which Malta is improving its renewable energy profile, in order to meet its commitment to have 10 per cent of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.

Another pillar will be the interconnector, which will provide Malta with energy from a variety of sources.

Flavio Cecchi, who has just been officially appointed as the company’s chief executive officer, is not keen on the interconnector as a solution, saying that it remains to be seen whether the price of energy is competitive.

“The energy we get from the interconnector could come from nuclear plants, and although it is cheap, we are wary of all the long-term costs associated with it, such as de-commissioning of plants and the original capital expenditure.

“Clearly, wind energy is more environmentally-friendly, but it is also costly. ‘Green’ comes at a premium, just as organic food costs more,” he said.

The energy from a solar farm would obviously reduce a customer’s consumption – and if they are heavy consumers, then the energy saved would be from the highest tariff band of 65c per unit

Mr Cecchi speaks with passion about photovoltaics, describing them as one of the cheapest forms of energy.

“When you look at the cost of energy, it is not enough to look only at the cost of generation. You also need to look at the cost of distribution, for example,” he said.

“Solar farms are very cost-effective in this respect. The ideal solution for Malta would be to push solar-thermals, as a quarter of a household’s electricity bill is accounted for by water heating. And then PVs and wind energy could provide much of the rest – although we believe that small wind units generating 3-5kW are much more suitable than the large turbines.”

It is becoming more and more feasible to factor in solar energy because technology has been moving in leaps and bounds since Mr Bajada founded the firm 26 years ago.

Smart grids are being tested in Asia which only send the power to where it is needed, and lithium and salt batteries are becoming more and more efficient, solving the problems associated with energy which is generated for only part of a day.

In the Maldives there are already installations capable of storing 1MW, while in Italy, 8MW are being tested.

One of the perceived disadvantages of solar farms is that they require so much space. Bajada New Energy has already completed two installations which shatter this myth: vertical farms have been installed on the walls of two entities.

Clients were also delighted to find that roof panels act as insul-ation too, cutting temperatures in summer by a few degrees and keeping the interior warmer in winter. Bajada New Energy is also investing constantly in new research with the University of Malta, and in staff training to keep the 90 employees abreast of the latest technology and best practice – particularly when it comes to installation.

Both Mr Bajada and Mr Cecchi are excited about the potential for solar farms, citing a 2010 study which found that Malta had over 3.6 sq.km. of roofs which were suitable for PVs – which could generate 240MW.

But they believe that the policy is merely the starting point.

“There are some comments that we will be submitting. For example, Mepa is excluding agricultural land, but there is so much arable land which is not currently being used.

“Why not use it for solar farms, as that will provide income for the farmer? And panels can be raised a few metres off the ground, allowing enough light for certain crops to be planted underneath,” Mr Cecchi went on.

“On the other hand, the policy should also specify clear visual buffer zones around the heritage sites that are found.”

But the role of other stakeholders – Enemalta and the Malta Resources Authority – is also seen by the company as crucial to the success of the policy.

“They also need to support it and appreciate that consumers should not have to shoulder the burden of the infrastructure that Enemalta has to provide, for example, having to pay for sub-­stations. Solar farms will give consumers many more options,” Mr Bajada said.