Grantee: Friends of the Earth Malta

Project duration: September 2024 – February 2025

 

The Challenge

Almost all of Malta’s CO₂ emissions are attributable to the energy sector – with nearly 90% of energy still coming from fossil fuels. Demand is rising, with gross electricity consumption projected to grow from 2,500 GWh in 2018 to 3,500 GWh by 2030. While investment in rooftop photovoltaics (PV) has shifted a small portion of energy to cleaner sources – growing from nearly 0% in 2010 to 8% of total electricity supply in 2020 – the renewable energy transition remains too slow to meet Malta’s climate goals.

Friends of the Earth Malta campaigns on some of today’s most pressing environmental and social challenges, engaging the public through diverse initiatives and advocating for sustainable policy solutions. One of their core focus areas is reducing the impact of climate change.

The Solution

Friends of the Earth Malta is working to accelerate the shift to renewable energy by promoting the development of community energy systems – an innovative and inclusive approach where citizens collectively produce, own, and use clean energy.

With support from the Malta Environment Foundation, Friends of the Earth Malta, in collaboration with the Malta Cooperative Federation, will begin laying the groundwork for the country’s first Renewable Energy Community (REC). The funds will be used to map out the legal and technical process of establishing an REC, identity key opportunities and regulatory barriers, engage stakeholders through workshops and outreach and design a real-world pilot project to demonstrate the feasibility and impact of energy communities in Malta.

Project Outcomes

The project delivered these key outcomes:

• Promoted the adoption of low-carbon technologies by showcasing the practical benefits of renewable energy communities.
• Raised public awareness about the social and environmental advantages of reducing carbon emissions through targeted outreach and engagement activities.
• Produced a comprehensive scoping report that maps out the legal, technical, and social framework needed to establish Malta’s first Renewable Energy Community.
• Engaged institutions and policymakers to advocate for supportive frameworks that enable citizen-led energy initiatives.

 

“Friends of the Earth Malta believes in the power of community energy to increase the share of renewables in Malta and promote energy democracy! Thanks to this grant provided by the Malta Environment Foundation we will be able to move one step closer to our dream of setting up the first Renewable Energy Community in Malta. The grant will enable us to conduct research on the barriers and potential of community energy in Malta, and outline the steps for setting up an energy community in detail.”

Dr Suzanne Maas, Climate Campaign Coordinator, Friends of the Earth Malta

Read the report produced by Friends of the Earth Malta here.