Fossil fuels account for 86% of energy from interconnector

Malta imported more energy from coal-fired power stations than from renewable energy sources through the interconnector which links it to the Italian energy grid, statistics published by Enemalta show.

In 2022, while only 9% of the energy imported from the interconnector came from renewable energy sources, 12% came from coal-fired power stations.

Compared to 2021, the share of imported electricity generated from solar and wind power has declined from 11% to 9% while that generated from coal declined from 13% to 12%.

Electricity generated from natural gas plants in the European mainland, which also contributes to carbon emissions, has increased from 64% in 2021 to 69% in 2022, while electricity produced from oil has remained stable at 4.5%.

On the other hand the share of electricity generated from nuclear power stations in mainland Europe has declined from 6.4% to 2.6%.

Nuclear energy is cleaner than coal and natural gas in terms of carbon emissions, but is shunned by environmentalists because of the radioactive waste it produces and fears of nuclear fallout from major accidents like Chernobyl in 1986 and Fukushima in 2011.

Overall 86% of electricity imported from the interconnector is derived from fossil fuels (coal, gas and oil) up from 81% in 2021.

Malta is powered by both a liquefied natural gas plant (LNG) as well as an electricity interconnector that provides energy from the European mainland by subsea cable from Sicily.

Official statistics for 2022 show that the interconnector as a whole accounted for 23% of the fuel mix used to generate electricity in Maltam up from 21% the previous year. Natural gas produced in the Delimara power stations accounted for 68% of the energy mix, down from 71% the previous year. The share of local renewables in the energy mix remained stable at 7%.

Overall, Enemalta has registered a marginal increase in carbon emissions over 2021 figures with the CO2 emission factor increasing from 388gCO2/kWh to 391gCO2/kWh.

Emissions from energy sources imported through the interconnector are not released locally but still contribute to global warming, unlike renewable and nuclear energy whose carbon footprint is negligible.

MaltaToday is informed that Enemalta has no say in determining the type of fuel used to generate electricity imported from the interconnector.

Plans for a second interconnector linking Enemata’s Magħtab terminal station to the the TERNA 220kV substation in Contrada Cimillà at Ragusa are in the pipeline. The second interconnector is deemed essential to ensure that Malta has enough energy to cater for its increased population, the electrification of its car fleet and to sustain current levels of economic growth.

In its absence Malta will “face challenges” in meeting its electricity demand during peak periods, a recently published Environment Impact Assessment warns. The EIA says the interconnector will provide Malta with a reliable and stable supply of energy, “reducing the risk of blackouts and ensuring the uninterrupted supply of electricity to households and businesses”.

But its impact on climate change depends on whether the energy bought from Europe is renewable or derived from fossil fuels. Despite contributing to lower emissions of locally produced greenhouse gases, if electricity imported through the cable is derived from fossil fuels, the second interconnector would still have a negative impact on climate change.

According to the EIA one major stumbling block for a reduction in overall greenhouse emissions is that Italy, the main country from which the electricity will be imported, “is still heavily reliant on fossil fuels for electricity generation”.