Dutch enterprises and research institutions have much to contribute to developing greener energy in Malta, according to the minister for Resources and Rural Affairs, George Pullicino.  Addressing Tuesday’s ‘Doing Business with the Netherlands’ seminar at the MCCEI, co-sponsored by Malta Enterprise, Finance Malta and the Dutch embassy, he hoped the gathering would instigate various initiatives. “I look forward to wider collaboration with local Maltese business partners in promoting various products in the local market.”  However, he warned that space for land-based wind farms (the cheapest renewable energy option for Malta) was very limited, while despite Malta’s high levels of sunshine, the most economically viable solar-electric technologies required large areas of unbuilt land. Technologies for marine-based renewable energies were so far very limited – mainly to offshore shallow water wind farms.

Roof space was however one resource. “I was overwhelmed last month by the high interest of the general public in the scheme launched to aid households to purchase photovoltaic (electricity generating) systems.   A similar scheme will be launched in May[...]