Viticulture in Malta: A sociotechnical evaluation

A peer-reviewed paper entitled: "Evaluating Sociotechnical Factors Influencing the Feasibility of Vineyard Photovoltaic Integration in Malta" has just been published in Energies Journal, fruit of collaboration between Prof. Ing. Charles Yousif of the Institute for Sustainable Energy of the University of Malta and Mr. Aaron Rexhuasen together with Prof. Benno Rothstein from the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Konstanz University of Applied Sciences (HTWG), Germany.

The publication demonstrates a rare eyeopener on the challenges faced by vineyard growers in Malta, as seen from their perspective. It could not have come at a better time, when the country is scrambling to increase the penetration of solar photovoltaics to meet the renewable energy targets for 2030 and beyond.

Viticulture offers a win-win solution by generating green electricity while protecting the vineyards from excessive sun and heat, thus improving the quality and quantity of grape yield.

The paper is open access and can be viewed online.