The stalled ERDF funds for PVs directed at the private sector

Noel Gauci, GRTU Renewable Energy
Section President, informed members that according to the information we have,
there were many companies involved in the issue, mainly with dubious
quotations. These will suffer a small percentage reduction/recovery of their
grant. Attendees (which comprised of retailers and beneficiaries) unanimously
accepted this reduction/recovery solution, and no one raised any objections.

Those beneficiaries that have more than
just dubious quotes and for which police found evidence of serious wrong doing
shall receive a much larger percentage reduction from the grant. Probably those
found guilty will also be denied access to future funding.

It will be up to the police to decide
who they shall prosecute and up to the beneficiary and retailer to settle who
should bear the reduction. It is understood that involved
suppliers/beneficiaries are to be taken to court by police.

Noel Gauci informed members that GRTU
cannot and will not be getting into such cases as there is the police involved,
and the latter should be allowed to carry their investigations freely even for
the benefit of the sector. Malta Enterprise took GRTU's recommendations to
inform those found completely clean and to allow them to move ahead with their
installations without delay. Our request for an extension of installation
deadline has also been accepted and the new deadline is around mid-December,
beneficiaries shall be informed accordingly. If anyone needs a longer extension
they should contact GRTU.

Noel Gauci warned that inspections will
be carried out by Malta Enterprise to ensure PV systems were according to the
grant agreement, and once again strongly recommended that everything should be
done by the book, according to standards and regulations and good working
practices.

Other matters discussed during the
section meeting:

Net metering: Noel Gauci said he is already raising this
point with MRA and MFEI every now and then, and it is a very important issue
for the high end consumers

Funding for domestic scheme: should be lowered from €3k to
€2.5k

Grid Connection: Members suggested that the current minimum
limit which is 0.5 Kw should be abolished