Industrial firms interested in investing in large-scale solar farms can now take advantage of a call issued by the Energy Ministry on Tuesday.

Speaking in a news conference at the Water Services Corporation offices in Luqa, Minister for Energy and Waste Management Joe Mizzi said that by the end of last year, alternative energy generation in Malta accounted to about six per cent of the total. With this new scheme, Mizzi said, the aim is to reach a total of 10%, which would be in line with the targets for renewable energy that the European Union has set for Malta.

The call is the second of its kind, and it covers farms with a minimum output power of 1 Megawatt peak power.  The intention is that the solar energy output is increased by 35 Megawatts, after the first call issued last year increased the output by 15 Megawatts.

Submissions will be received until October 26 with the ministry aiming to adjudicate the contracts by the end of this year.

Those submitting bids as part of this call must compete between themselves, and the government will choose the most advantageous offer.  The bids must also be in line with a set of solar farm policy guidelines which were issued by the Planning Authority last year and deal with elements such as the permissible location for such farms. 

The farms should be up and running within two years, in time for Malta to reach its targets by the 2020 deadline.