Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1533084
12 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 9 MARCH 2025 NEWS Communities investing in shared solar parks: A case for energy democracy JULIANA ZAMMIT jzammit@mediatoday.com.mt PRE-ANNOUNCEMENT OF CALL: EUROPEAN MARITIME FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE FUND PROGRAMME FOR MALTA 2021-2027 The Ministry responsible for EU Funds is pre-announcing the following calls under the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund Programme 2021-2027: Investments on Board Fishing Vessels Scheme • Priority 1: Fostering Sustainable fisheries & the restoration & conservation of aquatic biological resources • Specific Objective 1.1 – Strengthening economically, socially & environmentally sustainable fishing activities The Investments on Board Fishing Vessels Scheme ensures that the fishing fleet is kept up to date with modern technologies, supporting decarbonisation efforts through energy efficiency (EE) measures and fostering enhanced sustainability and resilience. Eligible applicants for the scheme are: • Fishers holding MFA Licence • Fishers holding MFB Licence The actual launch of this rolling call, together with details of an information session, the Application Form and other supplementary documentation will be published in March 2025 and can be accessed at https://fondi.eu/ . The first batch for this rolling call is expected to close in June 2025. Prospective applicants are encouraged to refer to https://fondi.eu for the EMFAF Programme for Malta, as well as any updates related to EU funding calls. For more information about the call, kindly contact Servizzi Ewropej f'Malta (SEM) on info.sem@gov.mt or by calling on +356 25552100. AS Malta faces increasing energy demands and growing concerns about the climate crisis, alterna- tive energy solutions are becom- ing a pressing issue. An approach gaining popular- ity across Europe is the concept of energy cooperatives. These are community-driven initiatives that promote the collective gen- eration and sharing of renewable energy. Chris Vrettos, a representative of Rescoop – the European Fed- eration of Energy Communities – believes Malta has potential for community-led energy solutions. In an interview with MaltaTo- day, he shared insights on how these cooperatives can revolu- tionise Malta's energy sector, en- hance community engagement, and provide long-term stability in electricity pricing. "The transition to renewables is inevitable, but energy cooper- atives allow us to ensure it is also fair," Vrettos said. "We are mov- ing away from a system domi- nated by large companies and towards one where households, businesses, and municipalities can have a direct stake in produc- ing their own energy." Rescoop, based in Brussels, represents over 2,000-member cooperatives and more than 1.5 million EU citizens. Its goal is to facilitate the decentralisation of energy production, allowing local communities to collectively in- vest in renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. "In Southern Europe, including Malta, solar power is the domi- nant source," he explains. "The most common model involves groups of people pooling their resources to fund a shared solar park." The electricity generated is then either deducted from their bills or sold, with profits distributed among members. Despite the promise of energy cooperatives, Malta's urban land- scape presents obstacles due to the limited land available and a rising number of apartment blocks with reduced rooftop access. Suzanne Maas from Friends of the Earth Malta, acknowledged these difficulties: "It's more about matching the space with the peo- ple who want to invest and we've seen from surveys that we have done that people want a choice in the electricity that they get." She highlighted that the govern- ment's recent offshore renewable policy could also be another op- tion for Malta, as it opens up new avenues for community energy investment, following the exam- ple of Belgium, where 10% of off- shore wind projects are reserved for community ownership. She emphasised the importance of ensuring that renewable ener- gy projects benefit the commu- nity rather than private investors. "Unlike large-scale private energy firms, cooperatives reinvest any profits back into the community, expanding projects and making renewable energy more accessi- ble." One of the key concerns sur- rounding energy cooperatives is whether people, given their busy lives, would actively engage in managing their own energy sup- ply. "Not everyone needs to be deeply involved," Vrettos says. "In every energy community, there is a core group of individ- uals driving the initiative. Others may contribute by staying in- formed or simply benefiting from reduced energy costs." He points that that its impor- tant for communities to regain a sense of agency over their energy. "The goal is not just energy in- dependence, but energy democ- racy," Vrettos concludes. "The more people are involved in producing and deciding on their energy sources, the more fair the system becomes." Chris Vrettos from Rescoop, the European Federation of Energy Communities