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Malta And Small Solar

Malta is the smallest state in the Mediterranean except the tiny city state of Monaco. It has a permanent population of 441,000(93% urban) and this is expected to fall to 426,000 in 20250. Malta is a mature society with low population growth, low infant mortality and long life expectancy. But in summer population rises to 1,300,000 on a land area of 320 km2 (smaller than Isle of Wight at 380km2). This makes the provision of electricity a complicated business. The worse side effect of this huge surge of population – 2,300,000 visitors in first 9 months of 2019, is pollution which potentially spoils the ambience and surroundings of visiting and enjoying Malta.

In 2017 96.1 % of power was generated by fossil fuels using natural gas backed up by oil and only 4.9% from renewables. Since 2015 the 120 km long ‘interconnector has been operating (see map) bringing power from Italy.

Terminus of the Italian Interconnector cable – Malta

MALTA – ITALY INTERCONNECTOR

Energy generation.

Year	Total Electricity Generation (MWh)	of which via interconnector
2016	2,247,523	1,526,689
2017	2,376,786	897,006

The EU says Malta has to produce 10% of its energy with renewables by 2020 but its difficult because of the small land area. In 2013 renewables accounted for 35,447 kwhrs of which PV was 29,470. This had risen 165,109 and 155,317 respectively by 2017.

There have been plans for offshore wind but nothing has been finalized yet. The power company Enemalta pays domestic generators 7 eu cents per kw HR.  A 10 panel PV set was sold for Euros 2,500 after the 50% subsidy but this was ended in 2018. New subsidy schemes are expected.

Between 2010 and 2017  18,433 households  have been fitted with solar PV representing 52% of all installations and this normally includes a solar thermal units which are very popular in Malta. Solar parks are also expected but land remains a problem. In Feb 2018 an 8,000 panel system was fitted at a disused land fill site.

Typical Maltese Roof Solar Site

Between 2014 and 2019 solar installations increased by 328% and MCAST (science and technology college) have been experimenting with offshore floating solar.

In 2015 the Shanghai Electric Company took a one third share in Enemalta and they have pledged more solar but no one is certain how that might work.

There seems to be potential for Offgridinstaller given the big take up of solar but with emphasis on hotels and local industries and commercial offices.  Also need to see the impact of EV in Malta which will reduce the import of fossil fuels and traffic pollution.

The Mediterranean is an area of great contrasts – tiny but developed Malta is an ideal location for solar with an opportunity to become self sufficient in renewable energy. There is clearly space for smaller local scheme satisfying the demands of domestic and commercial consumers particularly hotels and factories, warehouses and shopping centres.

BIBLIO

CIA World Factbook

www.enemalta.com.mt

timesofmalta.com.mt

energywateragency.gov.mt

www.offshore.com.mt

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