Solar farm proposed at Lapsi Reverse Osmosis plamt

The Water Services Corporation is planning to develop a solar panel farm over land the size of two football pitches next to its Reverse Osmosis plant in Lapsi, in Siggiewi.

The planned PV farm is aimed at “reducing the energy consumption and hence the carbon footprint of the corporation,” a spokesperson for the WSC told MaltaToday.

56% of Malta’s potable water is produced by desalination, a process that consumes 3.2% of Malta’s energy generation.

The proposed farm will be located on ODZ land and is referred to as “wasteland” in the planning application.

The site includes garigue areas and is covered by vegetation but does not include any trees or agricultural land. Abandoned pipes and other material litter the area. 

MEPA is currently drafting a policy to set the parameters for the development of solar farms.

The objective is to establish a policy framework for the development of solar farms. The policy is set to prioritise the development of solar infrastructure on large-scale rooftops and on land already committed to industrial development and for quarries.