The government was seriously considering linking Malta to the European gas network but this project depended on European funds, Finance Minister Tonio Fenech said yesterday.

Despite the challenges, Malta still plans to reach its 2020 target...

He said such a project would enable Malta to convert the Delimara power station extension to gas, the cleanest option for the generation of electricity.

Mr Fenech said a decision on this was due to be taken in the coming months as the EU decides on its budget for the new financial period.

He was addressing the Eurelectric conference which is discussing Europe’s new energy challenges.

He said different technologies were brought together for Malta to be able to reach EU standards at the new Delimara plant. The result, he said, “is a highly efficient, flexible plant, which is fully complaint to European Union and international emissions and environmental standards”.

On the interconnector project, linking Malta to the EU energy grid, Mr Fenech said this would play an important part in Malta meeting the EU’s low carbon agenda. He said it would also bring down the energy rates people paid as it lowered the dependence on oil.

He said that despite challenges, Malta still planned to reach its 2020 target of having 10 per cent of its energy produced from renewable sources, such as solar and wind power.

“The interconnector will make way for the possibility of investing in large-scale renewable energy sources, such as offshore wind farms and the possibility of producing energy from waste, which are being studied,” he said.