Environmentalists have welcomed plans for three wind farm but they warned Malta was still running late and the turbines were a long way from being built.

The head of the Today Public Policy Institute, Martin Scicluna welcomed the announcement but pointed out that "these are only further studies". He insisted Malta was still way behind everyone else and well behind its own targets.

Two of the sites earmarked for potential wind farms are on land, in Wied Rini, limits of Baħrija, and at the Ħal Far industrial estate. In addition, the government has also proposed an offshore site just off the coast of L-Aħrax in Mellieħa on the reef known as Is-Sikka l-Bajda. They are expected to generate energy equivalent to that consumed by almost 48,000 households.

Mr Scicluna wondered whether a €300 million which will be invested privately in wind energy would translate into value for money, saying more emphasis needed to be made on solar-energy, increasing energy efficiency and reducing consumption.

"That kind of money could go a long way to encourage the use of photovoltaics in households and factories," he said.

On this point, government experts advised that wind energy was much more feasible than solar for the time being.

As for the aesthetic aspect, Mr Scicluna pointed out that the turbines would be taller than the Portomaso tower, so the environmental implications needed to be considered. However, he said, the proposed sites seemed to be less intrusive than previous ones.

Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar wind energy spokesman George Debono, who was on a panel of environmentalists who were consulted on the decision, said this was a very positive step, particularly because land-based wind farms were now being seriously considered. These were cheaper than offshore ones and would therefore generate cheaper electricity.

"I'm cautiously optimistic but, since we're still indulging in reports, I'm worried that this is just another project that will not take off," he said.

He warned that the public still needed to be persuaded into embracing wind turbines because there was a lot of fear and misinformation. Thanks to advances in technology, he added, wind turbines had become less noisy and intrusive.

"Wind turbines are monstrous but beautiful".

Like Mr Scicluna he was worried that studies would take about two years to complete and that there was still the risk of finding out that the chosen sites would not give an adequate amount of wind.

"We are not too late but we are very, very late," he said.

University professor Edward Mallia said he would have liked to see a proposed offshore site in Gozo. He had identified a 20-metre deep site between Qbajjar and San Blas Bay, which, he said, would have been ideal. Wind speed measurements in Baħrija already showed this would be an exploitable area.

Friends of the Earth spokesman Martin de Giovanni also welcomed the news, especially because land-based turbines were more doable and required less expertise and maintenance.

He said that although the costs were high, paying EU penalties would be heftier and, in the long run, wind turbines would give the desired returns.

"There is not one single solution but the easiest at this point in time is wind and, particularly, wind farms on land. Obviously, we have to wait for the necessary studies and permits to be issued but it's a positive step," he said.

The Birżebbuġa local council, which also covers Ħal Far, one of the proposed sites, yesterday denied that Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino ever held a consultation meeting with them. The minister had said he had met councils and environmental organisations.

When contacted, a spokesman for the ministry said a meeting would soon be organised. Birżebbuġa mayor Joseph Farrugia said his main worry was that the turbines would make too much noise.

cperegin@timesofmalta.com