The government should explain why Malta had remained so backwards in the use of solar energy when compared to other Mediterranean countries including Cyprus, Israel and Spain, the Labour Party’s spokesman for the Environment said.

Leo Brincat said that the Labour Party believed there was an urgent need for the country to promote alternative sources of energy.

A small but significant step was to increase the use of solar water heaters together and a bigger effort should be made for the country to become more efficient in the use of energy.

While the government should lead by example, there had to be coordination with all sectors on domestic, commercial and industrial levels.

Mr Brincat said his party believed the country should explore all possibilities leading to the use of cleaner energy, including wind farms and biogas, since this would reduce the country’s dependence on oil.

Any project in this direction should be considered on the basis of sustainable development in the best interest of the country.

The MLP, Mr Brincat said, also believed that Enemalta could contribute since the country needed to diversify its energy sources.