The promotion of electricity from renewable energy sources is a high European Union priority for several reasons, including the security and diversification of energy supply, environmental protection and social and economic cohesion. With this regard the EU has introduced the Directive 2001/77/EC on the promotion of electricity produced from renewable energy sources in the internal electricity market. The directive concerns electricity produced from non-fossil renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, geothermal, wave, tidal, hydroelectric, biomass, landfill gas, sewage treatment gas and biogas energies.

This purpose of this directive is to promote an increase of the contribution of renewable energy sources to electricity production in the internal market for electricity and to create a basis for a future Community framework. It requires member states to establish national targets consistent with the global indicative targets and establishes a requirement for member states to report on achievements every two years. This directive was transposed into Maltese legislation through Legal Notice 186 of 2004 on the Promotion of Electricity produced from Renewable Energy Sources Regulations.

In January 2008, the European Commission presented a package of proposals aimed at delivering the general commitments made by the March 2007 European Council to take action on climate change and promote renewable energy. One of the proposals of the Climate Change-Energy package, is for a directive on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (2008/16 (COD). The overall EU target for the share of energy from renewable sources in final consumption of energy by 2020 is 20 per cent. This package was adopted by the European Parliament in December 2008 and Malta has an individual binding target of 10 per cent.

Mepa has published a proposed Planning Guidance for Micro-Wind Turbines. This draft document, which is currently up for public consultation, can be viewed on www.mepa.org.mt and any comments or suggestions can be sent through e-mail address microwind@mepa.org.mt by September 11.

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