The solar energy situation in Malta, a European union member state

Abstract

With its introduction in the European Union (EU), Malta is bound to generate 10% of its final energy consumption from renewable energy sources by 2020. This paper presents the solar energy potential in Malta and the potential for solar energy installations with respect to the energy situation. Trends for photovoltaic and solar thermal installations in Malta and the EU have been presented for the last four years. The economic and financial crisis has had a negative effect on solar energy applications in the EU mainly due to market contractions in Spain and Germany. This negative effect and the incentives the Government of Malta is offering to the domestic and industrial sectors are brought forward in this paper.