Ensuring secure, affordable and climate-friendly energy for households and businesses is one of the European Commission’s top 10 priorities.

Ahead of this year’s United Nations decisive climate pact in December, the European Union is gearing up to lead the rest of the world in a concerted offensive on global warming.

The move toward a European Energy Union was sparked by the search for long-term relief from dependence on Russian energy. A framework strategy for a resilient energy union with a forward-looking climate change policy was unveiled in February.

The package of recommendations foresees new legislation to make renewable energy more cost-effective.

Policy officer Nina Gareis of the energy efficiency unit, DG Energy, speaking at the annual conference of University of Malta’s Institute for Sustainable Energy (ISE) last week, signposted the path ahead to a long-lasting low-carbon society.

The strategy includes internal development of the natural gas market and a more integrated electricity network, plus better support for renewable energy goals.

The conference focused mostly on new developments and knowledge on the local scene for renewables and energy efficiency.

Partly running on Syngas energy, a gas produced after waste treatment, plasma gasification is a relatively new waste management technology for different waste streams.

Kevin Willerton of Westinghouse Plasma Corporation listed the advantages of treating all kinds of waste at high enough temperatures to disassociate electrons with clean burning gas and glass slag as a result, although some heavy metals remain.

The technology has not yet been proven for abattoir waste but the enterprising Canadian company is willing to give it a try in Malta. However, if a bid to build a larger plant than needed in Malta goes through then hazardous waste from the UK and Italy could be imported for treatment here, with all the issues that surround transport, handling and storage of hazardous waste.

An energy efficient way of recovering water for irrigation from treated sewage effluent is being tested in a Dock One research project using nature to clean up water. Argotti Gardens director and University of Malta biology department head Joseph Buhagiar explained how a variety of local water-loving plant species are being successfully used to polish local effluent from a sewage treatment station in the locality to an acceptable level for use in landscaping.

The naturally cleansed and recycled water, that is colourless or free of odour, feeds an urban public garden which is the first to be self-sustaining for its water needs. This natural polishing process may prove a better energy-saving alternative to reverse osmosis for some of our small- and medium-scale needs.

Much of the afternoon session was dedicated to research on buildings that perform well on the energy scale.

Designing buildings that ‘cost the world nothing’ in terms of water and energy efficiency is spurred by a number of existing certification tools. David Xuereb of QP Management Ltd advised planning a building around existing environments and the needs of a building’s users. There is a market demand for high-value constructions that can be both highly functional and environmentally educational.

Presentations from the University’s Faculty for the Built Environment included studies on energy performance rating and retro-fitting. A study on the cooling effect of wind currents on a rooftop with both PV panels and insulation compared the effects one has on the other.

Change cannot be realised without the contribution of researchers, engineers, scientists and architects to provide practical solutions to today’s challenges through innovation and new technologies

After assessing software on energy performance of Maltese buildings a number of recommendations were made. For example, as it stands, the calculation tool assumes that if air conditioning is not used then an electric heater must be in use. This may not be necessary when energy efficiency measures are adopted in buildings. The study proposed a review of software for energy performance rating of dwellings in Malta based on results.

It follows that the retro-fitting of a Mediterranean dwelling for a thermally comfortable and minimum energy home was the next topic on the programme.

As a final-year master’s degree project, engineer Stefan De Marco looked at the costs and benefits of retro-fitting a top-floor apartment with adjustable louvres on south and west-facing walls and insulation on the roof and external walls. Sealing some ventilators to stop cold winter air seeping into the building and prevent warm air loss, turned out to be very effective.

Occupants in a passive energy building can improve their summer time comfort levels by opening windows well after sunset until morning and then close them against the heat at 9am. Some might find this approach to be claustrophobic at first but when tested in schools it was met with approval from school children who felt their indoor climate had become more comfortable after these simple measures were taken.

Research has not been lacking on how the shade created by rooftop photovoltaic panels can be a benefit in summer but also make a building cooler in winter. New research presented by Daniel Micallef from the Department of Environmental Design, shows how PV panels, while generating electricity from the sun, can also influence the way air flows over the roof surface for an added cooling effect.

There was also collaboration between engineers and architects on the development of a thermally improved concrete block.

The Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering looked at data collected from local suppliers on PV system costs and individual panel efficiency to calculate the returns on investment made over a 20-year period. Three things that are difficult to predict when modelling economic feasibility of PV panels in the Maltese islands are solar radiation, feed-in tariffs and technical advances in photovoltaics. Future research is planned on output of PV systems in coastal areas.

Another ISE master’s thesis has attempted to determine the best proposal for investors choosing between offshore platforms for PV or wind turbines. Although large-scale generation from wind is off the local agenda for now, measurements at the Wied Rini station are continuing.

The force of wind and waves on floating structures was calculated with an eye to stability, improvements in cost and better design of mooring systems and types of materials used. Preliminary results favoured offshore wind for the best return, although the study did not consider proposed floating solar farms that are closer inshore. Research is still ongoing in the Solaqua floating PV panel project led by Luciano Mulé Stagno.

Results of a household appliance survey and recommendations for energy reduction were the concluding contribution from ISE researchers. Answers from respondents showed that 20 per cent of refrigerators in the sample are over 10 years old. During this time the energy efficiency of refrigerators has increased greatly, therefore a scrap incentive scheme for these energy dinosaurs would reduce energy consumption.

Load sensors, cold wash programmes and high-spin speeds (to avoid the use of tumble dryers) are all energy-savers on the today’s washing machines. It is argued that in terms of energy gains, solar water heaters can turn out to be the preferred use of roof space rather than photovoltaic panels.

The ISE conference is worth following from year to year as it highlights the latest developments in the various fields of sustainable energy. Bringing change is often believed to lie in the hands of politicians but this cannot be realised without the active contribution of researchers, engineers, scientists and architects to provide practical solutions to today’s challenges through innovation and new technologies.

www.um.edu.mt/ise