Transport
Malta has deployed thirteen full electric vehicles as part of its general fleet
ranging from crew and panel vans, passenger vehicles and quadricycles. These
vehicles are used as part of enforcement, maintenance and courier duties
carried out by the Authority. Transport Malta also installed a Photovoltaic
Plant at the Malta Transport Centre covering a surface area of 1,290 square
metres.
These
initiatives have been implemented as part of an EU funded project entitled
PORT-PVEV which has been co-financed at a rate of 85% through the Operational
Programme Italy-Malta 2007-2013. The
project, led by Transport Malta, brought together the Ministry for Transport
and Infrastructure, the Port Authority of Catania and the Province of
Caltanissetta.
Through
the project, the Ministry for Transport and Infrastructure installed three
solar electric car charging stations at Ċirkewwa ferry terminal, Ta’ Xbiex
Marina and Deep Water Quay car park.
The solar charging stations provide direct sun-to-car electricity
through the solar power produced on site which is stored in on site 24kWh
lithium-ion batteries. Through
inverters, the battery transfers electricity to charging electric vehicles. Any extra electricity is absorbed by the
grid. The solar car charging stations
are able to produce over 3000 charging events per annum at full carbon
neutrality.
Through
these initiatives over 200 tonnes of CO2 emissions are saved
annually from Maltese port areas.
These
results have been made public during the 2nd National Electromobility Conference
held on 28th October at the Phoenicia hotel. The conference was organised in conjunction
with Greening the Islands, an annual,
travelling conference highlighting solutions for sustainability for islands.
The event, held between the 28th and 30th October 2015, focuses
on transport, energy and water. It aims at implementing an interdisciplinary approach between these key areas of green economy.