The government, together with nine social partners, has launched an information campaign to increase efficient and sustainable energy use among businesses and households.
In a press conference on Monday, Energy Minister Miriam Dalli announced the information campaign, titled 'Be Efficient. Save Energy!’ which she said is taking place at the height of the unprecedented energy crisis caused by the war in Ukraine.
Dalli said that this campaign is an important one so that businesses in the private sector become more competitive and sustainable.
The campaign will include various technical advice from experts in the private sector so that Maltese and Gozitan businesses become more efficient in their use of energy. Dalli said that this campaign will join the national campaign so that Maltese and Gozitan families also use energy efficiently.
Dalli continued that the campaign was launched after a number of discussions with the social partners with the aim to continue moving forward as a country.
She said that during a time of unprecedented international challenges, in two years, government will have invested a billion euros so that the prices of energy, fuel and even grains remained stable.
Dalli said that this campaign serves as an opportunity for the country to give more assistance so that families and businesses invest in renewable energy, which will lead to sustainability and an effort to reach climate neutrality.
She emphasized the balance that government has taken recently, as it is protecting families and businesses while not stagnating the economy.
Among the suggestions for better use of energy in shops and offices, the information campaign details that businesses should keep windows and doors of air-conditioned spaces closed, or install air curtains.
The campaign encourages businesses to activate power saving settings on air-conditioners, computers and laptops as well as make sure they are switched off when not in use.
Longer term actions which would give greater savings included the replacement of electric water heaters with solar heaters or heat pumps as well as investing in building management systems or room management systems with presence detection sensors, dimmers and other similar energy saving technologies.
The social partners present at the meeting included members from the Chamber of Commerce, the Malta Employers Association, the Chamber for Small and Medium Enterprises, the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association, the Malta Developers Association, the Chamber of Engineers, the Association of Catering Establishments, the Gozo Tourism Association and the Gozo Business Chamber.
The social partners welcomed this initiative, where they said that apart from the established energy prices, there is also an investment in green and sustainable energy. They said that they want to participate in short-term, medium-term and long-term targets for the sustainable use of energy.
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