National Energy Conference focuses on decarbonisation of local industry.
Increased investment in renewables and a greater emphasis on energy efficiency are essential elements in Malta’s plan for a decarbonised future, while also protecting families and businesses from future energy market volatility.
Minister for the Environment, Energy, and Enterprise Miriam Dalli highlighted the close correlation between green energy and energy efficiency and the affordability and sustainability of the energy sector. Dr Dalli was addressing the 2023 National Energy Conference organised by the Energy and Water Agency (EWA) and the University of Malta’s Institute for Sustainable Energy.
The second edition of this annual conference brought together industry players, academia, banking institutions, government entities, and other stakeholders to discuss different approaches that can help industrial sector decarbonisation.
Minister Dalli explained that Malta’s industry and households are already highly electrified, while certain sectors, such as road transport, are becoming increasingly dependent on electricity as well. It is of vital importance that the country’s electricity supply becomes even more green.
“While we push for further deployment of land-based PV installations, we are aware of our spatial constraints. With the launch of the policy for offshore renewable energy, we aim to attract significant investment in this new, important sector. This promising technology can complement PVs in the decarbonisation of the power sector. The policy is currently also undergoing a strategic environmental assessment to ensure the least possible impact on the environment and other maritime activities,” Miriam Dalli said.
Businesses also need to invest in energy efficiency. “Several energy efficiency measures have short payback periods and provide long-term benefits. Such actions need to go hand in hand with measures supporting renewable energy to optimise the cost efficiency of the energy transition,” the minister added.
Energy and Water Agency CEO Manuel Sapiano explained that through the National Energy Conference and similar activities, the agency is building a robust information base that contributes to informed policy development.
Prof. Valerie Sollars, Pro-Rector for Strategic Planning and Sustainability at the University of Malta, stressed the need for industry to work towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 9, concerning industry, innovation, and infrastructure.
The conference was also addressed by Professor Jaquelin Cochran, Director at the Grid Planning and Analysis Centre at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in the United States; Nikolaos Kontinakis, from the Energy Efficiency Unit at the European Commission; and Enrico Biele, from the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy, and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA).
Through a number of presentations, local companies showed how they are responding to decarbonise the sector. Malta Enterprise and the Malta Chamber of Commerce also participated in the conference.
In a final session, the University of Malta’s Institute for Sustainable Energy and the Stakeholder Support Unit within the Energy and Water Agency gave an overview of recent research and innovation developments in the energy sector, with case studies from different business sectors.
Ir-rinnovabbli u l-effiċjenza fl-enerġija huma essenzjali għall-viżjoni ta’ Malta għad-dekarbonizzazzjoni – Miriam Dalli
Il-Konferenza Nazzjonali dwar l-Enerġija tiffoka fuq id-dekarbonizzazzjoni tal-industrija.
Iż-żieda fl-investiment fl-enerġija rinnovabbli u fl-effiċjenza fl-enerġija huma essenzjali għall-viżjoni ta’ Malta għal futur dekarbonizzat, filwaqt li jħarsu lill-familji u lin-negozji mill-volatilità tas-suq tal-enerġija għaż-żmien li ġej.
Il-Ministru għall-Ambjent, l-Enerġija u l-Intrapriża Miriam Dalli spjegat ir-rabta mill-qrib li hemm bejn l-enerġija nadifa u l-effiċjenza fl-enerġija, u l-affordabbiltà u s-s-sostenibbiltà tas-settur tal-enerġija. Hija qalet dan waqt li kienet qed tindirizza l-Konferenza Nazzjonali tal-Enerġija 2023 organizzata mill-Aġenzija tal-Enerġija u l-Ilma (EWA) u mill-Istitut tal-Enerġija Sostenibbli fl-Università ta’ Malta.
It-tieni edizzjoni ta’ din il-konferenza annwali laqqgħet flimkien esponenti tal-industrija, akkademiċi, istituzzjonijiet bankarji, entitajiet governattivi u stakeholders oħra biex flimkien jiddiskutu metodi li jistgħu jgħinu d-dekarbonizzazzjoni tas-settur industrijali.
Il-Ministru Dalli spjegat li l-industrija u d-djar f’Malta huma diġà elettrifikati, filwaqt li ċerti setturi bħat-trasport fuq l-art dejjem qed iżidu d-dipendenza fuq l-elettriku wkoll. Dan ifisser li l-ħidma biex il-pajjiż jiżgura provvista tal-elettriku aktar nadifa hija ta’ importanza kbira.
“Filwaqt li nkomplu nimbuttaw ’il quddiem iżjed installazzjoni ta’ pannelli fotovoltajiċi fuq l-art, nifhmu l-limitazzjonijiet ta’ spazju li għandna. Bit-tħabbira tal-policy dwar l-enerġija rinnovabbli offshore, qed nimmiraw biex nattiraw investiment sinifikanti f’dan is-settur ġdid u importanti. Din it-teknoloġija promettenti tista’ tikkumplimenta l-pannelli fotovoltajiċi biex niksbu d-dekarbonizzazzjoni tas-settur tal-enerġija. Bħalissa qed issir Valutazzjoni Ambjentali Strateġika ta’ din il-policy biex niżguraw l-inqas impatt possibbli fuq l-ambjent u attivitajiet marittimi oħrajn,” qalet Miriam Dalli.
In-negozji għandhom bżonn jinvestu fl-effiċjenza wkoll. “Ħafna mill-miżuri ta’ effiċjenza fl-enerġija jrendu lura l-ispiża tal-investiment tagħhom fi żmien qasir filwaqt li jipprovdu benefiċċji fit-tul. Azzjonijiet bħal dawn għandhom jingħaqdu ma’ miżuri ta’ enerġija rinnovabbli biex iżidu l-effiċjenza tal-ispiża ta’ din it-tranżizzjoni fl-enerġija,” żiedet tgħid il-ministru.
Il-Kap Eżekuttiv tal-Aġenzija għall-Enerġija u l-Ilma Manuel Sapiano spjega li permezz tal-Konferenza Nazzjonali dwar l-Enerġija u attivitajiet simili, l-aġenzija qed tiġbor tagħrif utli li jikkontribwixxi għat-tfassil ta’ politika aktar infurmata.
Il-Pro-Rettur għall-Ippjanar Strateġiku u s-Sostenibbiltà tal-Università ta’ Malta, il-Professur Valerie Sollars saħqet dwar il-bżonn li l-industrija taħdem lejn il-Miri tal-Iżvilupp Sostenibbli tan-Nazzjonijiet Uniti, speċjalment il-Mira 9 dwar l-industrija, l-innovazzjoni u l-infrastruttura.
Waqt il-konferenza tkellmu wkoll il-Professur Jaquelin Cochran, id-Direttur tal-Grid Planning and Analysis Centre tan-National Renewable Energy Laboratory tal-Istati Uniti, Nikolaos Kontinakis, mill-Energy Effiency Unit fi ħdan il-Kummissjoni Ewropea u Enrico Biele mill-Agenzia Nazionale per le Nuove Tecnologie, l’Energia e lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile (ENEA) tal-Italja.
Permezz ta’ għadd ta’ preżentazzjonijiet, kumpaniji lokali urew kif qed jaħdmu lejn id-dekarbonizzazzjoni tas-settur. Malta Enterprise u l-Kamra tal-Kummerċ ukoll ħadu sehem f’din il-konferenza.
Fl-aħħar sessjoni tal-konferenza, il-Fakultà tal-Enerġija Sostenibbli fl-Università ta’ Malta u l-Istakeholder Support Unit fi ħdan l-Aġenzija għall-Enerġija u l-Ilma taw ħarsa lejn l-aħħar żviluppi fir-riċerka u l-innovazzjoni fis-settur tal-enerġija, b’eżempji minn setturi differenti tan-negozju.