VALLETTA, July 31 (Xinhua) -- A steady flow of investments into renewable energy sources (RES) has put Malta, also an energy-island, on track to achieve its goal of covering 25 percent of the country's energy needs from clean sources by 2035, Environment and Energy Minister Miriam Dalli said Wednesday.
Addressing a conference organized by the Regulator for Energy and Water (REWS), she said Malta's regulator for energy and water had received 65 offers for medium to large-scale renewable energy installations in the past 18 months.
These offers have a potential total capacity of over 97,700 kilowatts, equivalent to providing energy for 35,600 households or cutting 60,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2), she said.
Dalli reiterated Malta's commitment to invest heavily in renewable energy. "Our goal is to increase the use of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind energy, with the aim of generating 25 percent of Malta's energy from renewables by 2030," she said.
This year, REWS will issue four calls for energy project proposals, with two already launched in April and June, and the remaining two scheduled for August and November.
Dalli emphasized the government's dedication to boosting investment in clean energy infrastructure across Malta and Gozo, working closely with the private sector to achieve sustainability and Malta's decarbonization goals.
REWS CEO Marjohn Abela expressed his satisfaction with the positive response from residents, highlighting the success of initiatives supporting the installation of photovoltaic panels and batteries in residential homes.
Applications opened in February and funds were fully allocated by June, prompting an increase in the budget from 5 million euros (5.5 million U.S. dollars) to nearly 10 million euros to accommodate more applicants.
Abela also reported receiving 351 battery applications in 2023 and 1,178 by mid-July.
