Alternattiva Demokratika yesterday launched its draft energy policy, which is based on efficiency, clean energy and economic sustainability.

The draft policy was launched during a visit by the Italian Environment and Maritime Protection Minister Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio, who is also the president of the Italian Green and President of the Italian Green Party.

AD chairperson Harry Vassallo welcomed Minister Pecoraro and commended his efforts to incentivise, by means of concrete measures in this year’s budget, the uptake of technologies that generate clean energy and reduce the use of fossil fuels.

Dr Vassallo also thanked Minister Pecoraro for the close collaboration and good working relationship between AD and I Verdi, the Italian Green Party.

Meanwhile Ralph Cassar, AD spokesperson for energy and the environment gave a summary of the party’s main proposals included in the draft energy policy.

Mr Cassar said the draft policy document should serve as a basis for discussion on reducing Malta’s economic dependence on fossil fuels.

Depending on imported fuel for all of Malta’s energy needs is economically dangerous and exposes all Maltese businesses and families to unpredictable economic burdens.

Mr Cassar said the price of energy from fossil fuels and the huge investment needed to bring Malta’s power plants up to EU standards, will increase the price the government (and ultimately the taxpayer) will have to pay for the production of energy. He said that any talk that minimises the importance of renewable energy, is shortsighted and irresponsible.

The following are AD’s main proposals:

Modernisation of power plants to increase the current efficiency of 32 per cent.

Phasing-out of incandescent lamps over five years and introduction of a programme to distribute energy-saving lamps to all households to kick-start the uptake of this technology.

Target to have 50,000 new solar water heaters over the next five years by making available grants, VAT refunds and loans with low interest rates. Such an investment will pay back through reduced energy use and less use of expensive fossil fuels. Households use up to 25 per cent of their energy consumption to heat water. An average family may save up to Lm100 annually on their energy bill by using such systems.

Target to have 5,000 new installations of photovoltaic systems on houses and apartments over the next five years. Generation of clean electricity from the sun would reduce the burning of expensive fossil fuels. The State should incentivise the uptake of these systems by setting a good rate for individuals to be able to sell any extra electricity produced by their systems to the State monopoly. The fact that energy is being generated in a clean way makes it more valuable. Currently there are no effective incentives for households to use PV.

Making a serious effort to enforce energy efficiency regulations in construction by making the use of solar water heaters in new buildings compulsory, for example.

Provision of a service of energy audits – all households should be energy audited and shown how to reduce their energy use and save on their electricity bills.

Installation of a land-based wind farm having four or five 750-kilowatt turbines. While the current price of electricity generation at source (excluding distribution costs) is estimated to be five cents per unit, the cost of units that generate energy from wind is two cents per unit – making them immediately economically feasible.

Negotiation with industrial firms for the setting up of a fund to finance energy-saving and clean energy projects. This programme could be funded by means of a slight increase in the subsidised price paid by industrial firms for electricity. Firms would benefit because they will reduce their consumption of energy.

A “Pact on Climate Change” that would state that if Malta does not cap its carbon dioxide emissions, it will be subject to huge fines (some EUR400 million for example). The cost of non-action is too high to ignore. The government should utilise all the roof space available on its property (all schools, government departments, hospitals etc.) to generate energy from photovoltaic panels. All social partners should come together to discuss concrete proposals for increased efficiency in energy use, the creation of jobs in the renewable technology sector and investment in research and development in this sector.

The immediate implementation of the 1997 Appledore Report recommendation that part of the Malta Drydocks be converted into a solar panel manufacturing facility. Creating a market for renewables and energy efficient technologies will have various economic and social benefits. It would reduce economic uncertainty, make Malta a good “living laboratory” for new technologies, create jobs and new economic activity, and will benefit everyone through the reduction of pollution.