Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party said that “both the Nationalist and Labour parties are committing themselves to energy projects which depend on fossil fuels and dirty technologies.” AD continued “that investment in renewable energy should be stepped up in order that Malta may have clean and sustainable energy use in the years to come.”

Michael Briguglio, Chairperson and spokesperson for Economy and Finance, said, “Whilst the Nationalist Government has opted for dirty fossil fuels, mainly heavy fuel oil, and is not giving the required priority to renewable energy, the Labour opposition is resorting to energy populism by promising technological quick-fixes such as Carbon Capture Storage, which is intimately tied to dirty fossil fuel industries in coal and oil. The plain truth is that dependency on dirty fossil fuels will only postpone problems related to climate change and to the ever-increasing price of such limited sources of energy. Besides, it is too risky to rely on technology that is promising to store capture underground. AD insists that Malta should shift to gas as early as possible and should increase its investment in clean renewable energy to reach the 10% target committed with the EU by 2020.”

“As far as Sargas’s argument to export carbon to Denmark, the new Danish Government is committing itself to sustainable energy reform by reducing reliance on fossil fuels and drastically cut its emissions of greenhouse gases. It is also now refusing Vattenfall’s carbon storage plan. Vattenfall is connected with Sargas. Sargas has also attempted to depict itself green by referring to the support of so-called ‘environmental’ NGO Bellona, which is sponsored by fossil fuel companies.”

Ralph Cassar, AD General Secretary and Spokesperson for Energy, Industry and Transport, said, “If one takes a good look at the Delimara power station saga, one can easily come to certain conclusions. First of all the Government is justifying its decision to choose the BWSC plant on the basis of cheaper electricity. The BWSC plan is going to make use of the dirtiest fuels, heavy fuel oil, with additional technology which cleans emissions and creates tonnes of dirty waste in the process. Muscat’s and Labour’s “discovery” is nothing but another smokescreen: technology pushed forward by the coal and oil industry. It burns coal mixed with other chemicals – this means that we are back to the use of dirty fuels. Dirty waste will also be created. Ironically, the use of coal means that the amount of CO2, the gas which we are supposed to reduce, will increase. The difference is that this is supposed to be captured forever. This technology depends completely on the issue of whether this gas can be stored permanently and securely – something which is risky and not developed enough. Besides, this technology is considered as an excuse for coal to continue being used. This is another way for us to continue our complete dependence on dirty fossil fuels. On this issue both the Prime Minister and Joseph Muscat agree: both want us to burn more dirty fuels at the Delimara power station.”

Carmel Cacopardo, Spokesperson for Sustainable Development and Home Affairs, said, “Next Monday MEPA will decide whether the Delimara Power Station extension will make use of Heavy Fuel Oil or gasoil. The best choice of fuel in the short term, the use of gas, was abandoned because the Government kept procrastinating over the years and did not develop the necessary infrastructure for it. This is the background of the Sargas/PL proposal. Although Sargas’s proposal sounds interesting because it hits the most sensitive issue for the Maltese (electricity tariffs), the proposal makes use of a dirty energy source and proposes to solve the emissions issue by suggesting that these should be sent elsewhere by means of Carbon Capture technology. This in itself does not make the proposal one based on clean energy. Besides, this proposal is still in its experimental stages.”

“The Sargas proposal is also still unclear where financing is concerned. The fact that Sargas did not guarantee the length of validity of their proposal, leads to the conclusion that what is being proposed will eventually change. In fact during their presentation, Sargas officials said that the price of 7c5 per unit of electricity is only in relation to energy generation (raw cost of energy). Other expenses have to be added which depend on the agreement negotiated on the plant. In other words this means that the expense of the plant (€900 million) has to be added pro rata with the payment of 7c5 per unit of electricity on which a lot of emphasis is being put.”

“Added to this one has to consider the social cost related to Enemalta employees. Sargas’s proposal, which has been accepted by the Labour Party, will endanger the employment of Enemalta employees involved in the generation of energy.”

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