The PV panels in a total eclipse of the sun.

The authorities rightly promote the importance of investing in solar panels. They promote the use of green energy by capitalising on Malta's blessed sun rays and equally importantly lead to a drastic reduction in energy bills. 

So you invest incostly PV panels, install them on your washroom and one fine day, your next door neighbour decides to build an additional storey or two... for a total eclipse of the sun. 

A picture of a terraced house in the Tas-Swatar area shows the dilemma faced by many as buildings rise higher thanks to more flexible planning policies. 

The picture, which is going viral on Facebook, shows the solar panels on top of the building in the middle will now barely get any exposure to sunlight throughout the day.

The home owner's son wrote on Facebook: "My father had to wait between five and six months to get a permit for the panels, and two years later the Planning Authority issued a permit for two additional storeys next door."

According to the National Renewable Energy Plan, the lack of ‘solar rights’ laws protecting owners of photovoltaic panels from over-shading by nearby tall buildings is a major obstacle to widespread uptake of the technology.