Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1324024
3 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 3 JANUARY 2021 NEWS The Flying Carpet Importers of hand-knotted Oriental carpets THE FLYING CARPET - OLD RAILWAY TRACK, ATTARD Mon - Tues, Thurs - Sat 10am – 12pm • Wednesday morning closed Mon - Fri – 4.30pm - 7pm Importers of: Various hand knotted carpets and Kilims, Non Slip Underlay, Dry and Liquid shampoo. Mobile No. 7953 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Additionally, Malta's bid was over- shadowed by a European Ombudsman's inquiry on the gas projects that were in- cluded in the 2019 list of PCIs (projects of common interest) – Malta's included. According to civil society group Food & Water Europe, the EC did not ade- quately assess the sustainability of the 32 gas projects, and as such broke EU law. Indeed, the Commission had admit- ted that its sustainability assessment of candidate gas projects had been "subop- timal due to a lack of data" and that it is now updating the criterion for the next PCI list of 2021. The Ombudsman last month agreed, saying it had been "regrettable" that the EC did not attempt to improve the available data. Now under a proposed reform, the EC has ruled out unabated gas projects from applying for funding completely. "A key question is whether to keep natural gas infrastructure as an eligible infrastructure category or not," the EC said, opting to exclude methane gas in- frastructure "as the most effective and coherent approach". The EC also said Europe no longer had such pressing gas supply security issues, meaning gas projects were not deemed as strategic as in the past. "By the early 2020s, when the gas pro- jects of common interest currently un- der construction will be in operation, Europe should achieve a well-intercon- nected and shock-resilient gas grid and all member states will have access to at least three gas sources," the EC said. "Considering that the future natural gas demand is estimated to significant- ly decrease in line with the Green Deal objectives, natural gas infrastructure no longer needs support through the TEN-E policy." This means the CEF billions will only be spent on renewable and low carbon gases, such as smart gas grids, and green gases, typically biogas and biomethane, but also hydrogen. Those could include hydrogen trans- mission pipelines and related equip- ment such as compressors, storage facilities, and facilities for liquefied hy- drogen. "There is currently very limit- ed dedicated infrastructure in place to transport and trade hydrogen across borders," it said, adding that new pro- jects could consist of a "significant ex- tent" of assets converted from natural gas. Europe aims at becoming the first cli- mate-neutral continent by 2050, but this requires moving towards cleaner energy infrastructure. Malta gas pipeline Malta's natural gas pipeline between Italy and Malta was expected to be op- erational by 2024. It has been a high pri- ority in the ongoing effort to link Malta to Europe's energy network, and will end Malta's "gas isolation". Malta's electrical network was linked to Europe's via Sicily in 2015, but re- maining on the periphery from the EU's natural gas networks affected the secu- rity of Malta's energy supply. This pipeline would help Malta cut emissions from shipping, as the aim is to slash emissions by at least 50% by 2050. No funds for €400 million gas pipeline This pipeline would help Malta cut emissions from shipping, as the aim is to slash emissions by at least 50% by 2050