ZEROCO2 Final Maltese Newsletter: Fiscal Actions

Fiscal Action Two: Solar heating Grant

Implementation Status: Excellent

Following a steady drop in the popularity of solar water heating fiscal grants in Malta, the ZEROCO2 project has consulted a study by the Institute for Sustainable Energy of the University of Malta and concluded that the existing maximum fiscal grant on capital cost of 400 Euro per solar heating system was not adequate. Based on that, the grant scheme was upgraded from 400 to 700 Euro, as of 2018. As a result, the uptake of solar heating systems has increased to 127 in 2018 and an additional 311 in 2019. Also, heat pump water heaters have increased from 0 in 2017 to 28 in 2018, and 46 more in 2019. Carbon dioxide savings when compared to the prevalent electric heating boilers are as follows:

Solar water heaters - 101.6 tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2018 and 248.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2019.
Heat pump water heaters – 16.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2018 and 27.6 tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2019.

Fiscal Action Four: Energy Grants to Sports Facilities

Implementation Status: Very Good

In 2019, the Energy and Water Agency together with SportsMalta have launched a fiscal support scheme entitled: “'Leading sport organisations to higher energy efficiency”. The grant offers 100% fiscal support up to € 20,000, and 90% support up to a maximum of €50,000 per organisation, which covers new energy saving appliances, intelligent lighting, and other actions that would result in at least 20% energy savings.

Fiscal Action Seven: Renovate 5% of Social Housing Sector

Implementation Status: Very Good

This policy action proposal has found excellent response from the Housing Authority that is responsible for all social housing projects in Malta. A collaboration agreement has been signed between the University of Malta and the Housing Authority to provide all the necessary expertise and technical support to realise the first deep renovation housing project. The agreement is being managed by the Institute for Sustainable Energy. The scope is to carry out a detailed technical study of one earmarked project that houses 40 families. Following this study, financing will be sought to realise the project, which will act as a best-practice example that can be replicated in other blocks.

Figure 1: Deep renovation of the first social housing block, to be finalised by 2022.

Fiscal Action Eight: Renovation of Public Authority Buildings

Implementation Status: Very Good

A similar agreement between the University of Malta, the Ministry for Education and the Foundation for Tomorrow’s Schools (FTS) has been signed, to support the FTS and the Ministry in carrying out the necessary technical studies for building nearly zero energy new schools and renovating existing schools. A new school is currently being planned, while four other schools are being renovated. Thanks to the project ZeroCO2 and the active participation of the stakeholders from the Ministry and FTS, this project will now become a reality.