The energy crunch is here. We’ve just heard the news – the electricity surcharge is now a whopping 95 per cent!

Well, we’ve been expecting this. It’s now time to start making changes to our lifestyle. The tools are here in the form of greater energy efficiency and renewables. I have been searching the Internet to see what I can do to reduce my electricity bill. Here are some possibilities.

To start with, we have to rethink how we design our homes. In the past, our ancestors were wise enough to use proper thermal insulation by building thick walls and installing small windows. Today, we have the luxury of efficient thermal insulation materials, which combined with cavity type (double) walls will give sufficient insulation. Instead of using small windows in order to enjoy the view, we just have to use evacuated double glazed window units with thermal break frames. Thus we effectively have a double skin window with insulating material in the frame.

The next stage is designing our buildings to be energy efficient. Energy saving lamps last about five times as long as normal incandescent lamps. Certain areas of the house such as halls, drives, entrance porches and external lights can be fitted with daylight sensors or motion sensors which will make them work only when needed. When purchasing appliances, one must look for energy efficient features just like one looks at the calorific value when purchasing food.

Then we can go to renewable energy. This takes various forms but, predominantly, in the local context we can look at solar energy or wind energy. Systems that utilise both types of renewable energy are commercially available. However, it is my opinion that wind turbines, even though domestic-sized units are available, will not be viable if used in this context for aesthetic as well as technical reasons; adjacent turbines will affect each other’s performance. Thus wind energy would only be viable in the context of wind farms (preferably offshore).

On the other hand, solar energy systems are commercially available in direct solar-thermal units in the form of solar water heaters or even solar cooling using absorption chillers taking solar heaters as their heat source.

The most viable system that is becoming increasingly popular is direct electricity generation using photovoltaic arrays. These have been with us for quite some time in the form of solar-powered watches, calculators, garden lights and a host of other small gadgets. For the non-technical, these panels consist of sandwiched layers of silicon, which, when illuminated by the sun, generate direct electricity current. These panels, mounted in arrays, are then connected to a control box that changes direct current into the alternating current at the correct voltage and feeds the domestic electricity system. When such systems are installed, Enemalta provides the consumer with two meters, one metering the mains electricity used by the consumer, and the other metering the surplus electricity generated by the solar PV system and “sold” to Enemalta.

The system is set up in such a way that before using mains electricity, the consumer first makes use of the electricity generated by the PV panels. Brilliant, except that Enemalta buys back your surplus at one quarter of the rate it charges you. In order to have a reasonably good supply for a typical dwelling, an array producing 3 to 4 KW of power is generally required. The more you install, the more surplus electricity you can generate and “sell” to Enemalta. Such an array would require 12 to 14 panels sized 1m x 1.2m, usually mounted on an aluminium frame and tilted at 35° to the horizontal (Malta’s latitude), and facing south.

Locally, such a system costs €4700/kW installed, meaning that a 4 kW system would have a capital cost of €18,800, (the cost of a medium family car). There are very little government incentives at present for installing such a system. I would imagine that with the current trend that “it’s good to be green”, organisations such as Mepa, banks, and the government should be jumping over themselves to offer incentives to people like me, who would gladly install such a system.

Currently, I believe that the electricity load from domestic use is approximately 40 per cent of the total electricity demand. A friend of mine who has had a 4kW system installed, in a year “sold”, half as much electricity as he “bought” in terms of kWh.

However, because of the absurd rate differential between electricity bought and that sold, the system will only pay for itself in 10-15 years. I am informed that in Germany, such is the environmental concern that utility companies have to guarantee purchase of surplus green energy from such systems. The government and Enemalta will stand to gain if with widespread usage of PV systems, half of the 40 per cent electricity load will become available relatively free, thus reducing the demand of installing more generating capacity and decreasing the imported fuel bill.

I hope that this little insight will stimulate some discussion. Maybe we will see these changes being implemented rather than hearing of more increases in the fuel surcharge!

Fortunato Said

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