Recently I encountered: two foreign students who are working on their thesis on solar energy; a business entrepreneur who is looking for opportunities of solar energy development and a government official who is interested in promoting solar technology. All of them asked me the same question: How come that we in Malta have not yet made full use of solar and wind energy applications? They were looking for answers to convince themselves not only out of curiosity but because they were interested in finding or proposing solutions to the stagnant situation in this field.

I consider this as a positive indicator since the question is originating from various sources at the same time, some of whom are genuine in their quest. It seems it is now the right time to give a kick start to such initiatives that would make the application of solar energy more popular in Malta.

I will not try to answer the question of why Malta has not made extensive use of solar energy, because there are many different factors and all of them have contributed towards this state of affairs. However, I wish to comment on two aspects that have probably affected the local market, namely marketing and initial cost.

Probably, most of us have noticed some adverts of solar water heaters that claim to save energy. This was not enough to entice potential buyers and so far sales of solar water heaters remain low. Innovative ideas have to be created to market solar water heaters not only as an energy saver but also as a secure supply of hot water. If properly chosen and installed, solar water heaters can give a sustainable and secure source of energy that can be used virtually throughout the year with minimum maintenance. Negative experiences that some individuals have had with their solar water heaters could drastically affect the promotion of such applications. It is the responsibility of the installer to ensure that sound engineering practice coupled with proper installation procedures are strictly followed in all installations. On the other hand, specialised courses aimed at further improving the competence of technicians are strongly needed.

In many instances, the initial capital cost of a solar water heater is used as a good excuse not to buy one. Amazingly, one realizes that this mentality crops up only when a solar application is to be purchased. This attitude towards solar energy applications is neither fair nor wise. One does not think so strongly of the payback period when it comes to purchasing a car, a mobile phone or an air-conditioning unit. Worse than that one does not think of the negative environmental effects that these products would add to our society. As an example if one were to calculate the amount of energy required to charge all the mobile phones in Malta, one would realize that they would use as much energy as that consumed by about fifty homes in a day.

In a workshop that was held last November in Malta [1], experts have shown that within the next ten years, the oil prices will increase considerably and what is more worrying is that the sources of crude oil will become limited and this implies that the market will no longer operate on a demand/supply basis but will have to conform to prices set by a few suppliers. If such a scenario really occurs, Malta as an island would suffer most especially if the sources for hard currency dwindle. This factor alone should be sufficient to encourage the use of renewable energy technologies.

The incorporation of solar thermal and solar electric systems in new buildings should be promoted not only as an energy saving option but also as a smart and modern way of building today. Nowadays, solar photovoltaic modules that directly convert solar energy into electricity come in different colours and shapes and could easily replace normal reflective glass panels that are being increasingly used in large buildings. Moreover, by spreading the cost of the solar system on the selling price of the different units within the complex one can easily absorb the initial capital of such systems. In this way, developers would be offering new and innovative units without incurring additional costs, while the customers would be offered a turnkey residential or commercial unit that would have a lower electricity bill on the long run. One has to point out that it is not necessary to install systems that will cater for 100% of the energy needs since it will be more difficult in this case to absorb the initial cost and most probably there will not be enough space on the building to cater for all the needs.

Such initiatives could be started by the private sector and in this way the responsibility will not totally fall on the government’s shoulders. This experience has proved itself in many cases such as the wide-scale use of computers, mobile phones, satellite dishes and cable TV. None of these applications received governmental financial support. Local councils could also contribute in such an initiative by sponsoring solar systems at their locality such as in schools or the council’s headquarters. Education is the key to success in this case.

On the other hand, government should subsidize such initiatives but in an innovative way. For example, an annual “green week” could be organised during which the price of fuel and gas oil is increased by one cent per litre. In addition to this green funding initiative, the government can donate an equal amount of money and invest the total sum in a pre-defined renewable energy project on a public building such as the general hospital or in a number of smaller projects that would be scattered around the Maltese Islands. In this way an estimated total amount of Lm 80,000 (based on 2001 data for fuel sales) could be generated. Seeing is believing and until we manage to have a number of pilot projects operating in our country, the general public will continue to eye these applications with suspicion. We need to build a solar culture.

In a conference that was held back in 1996 [2], several suggestions were made on the factors that would promote the introduction of renewable energy applications in Malta, in particular these points were mentioned: setting up of a national renewable energy plan and formation of a national body to foster the plan; formation of a technical body to certify the quality of imported or locally manufactured modules and inverters, according to the national and international operating standards; exemption of renewable energy products and their related components from taxation; inclusion of a carbon/pollution tax in the energy and petroleum sector and directing these funds to foster the national renewable energy plan; changing the energy legislation to allow grid-interfacing and finally, subsidising and  offering soft loans to citizens who wish to install renewable energy systems.

Today, it seems that we are heading in the right direction. The institution of the Malta Resources Authority is a good move towards this cause. The creation of the Malta Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energies Association (M.E.E.R.E.A.) last year is another move that will help to focus the efforts of engineers and scientists who are working in the fields of energy and renewable energy, and fill the gap of a specific NGO that addresses energy conservation issues and promotion of renewable energy applications. However, these efforts have to develop quickly and effectively into actions to face any future oil crisis.


Useful website: http://home.um.edu.mt/ietmalta/euromedindex.html


References:

[1]    Euro-Mediterranean Energy Policy Training Workshop, 26th-30th November, 2001, University Buildings, Valletta

[2]    Photovoltaic Applications In Malta: Experiences And Projections by Charles Yousif and Edward Scerri, the 3rd Biennial Conference of the Malta Council for Science & Technology, Valletta, 4th-5th June, 1996.


Charles Yousif, M.Phil. (Energy Tech.), B.Sc. (Hons.), Mech. Eng. is the Secretary General of the Malta Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energies Association (M.E.E.R.E.A.) and is currently working in the field of solar photovoltaics at the Institute for Energy Technology of the University of Malta. He may be contacted by E-mail on: charles.yousif@um.edu.mt

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