Matt Shacklady

Mr Day

25/01/2015

Energy Security in Malta and

Ghana
Malta

Malta is limited to land based and offshore wind energy, solar energy and
energy extraction from biomass.
Together these have considerable potential. These options must all be
exploited with urgency; they are immediately possible in Malta and should
provide a good energy mix on the principle of balancing power to
compensate for intermittency.
There may also be strong enough undersea currents which could be
exploited
Malta has plentiful sunshine and adequate wind speeds on exposed
coastlines so both wind energy and, especially, photovoltaics offer a
potential.
These renewable energy options can be immediately exploited by Malta;
they should have started long ago.
As part of the energy diversity concept, Malta must also connect to the
European grid. However, political groups are not allowing this to happen
due to the fact they think the cables would fail the country.
The likelihood of this happening is far inferior compared to the oil
instability found in the Middle East.
It would be essential for Malta to connect to the grid as it will help to
absorb the fluctuations in energy generation and, we could even
occasionally have surplus energy and send it to Europe.
The offer by a private company to build a large scale (30MW) wind farm at
Marfa ridge in 2004 was a missed opportunity.
If this project was to have been built then it would be in its fifth year of
service in 2009. In these 5 years Malta would have benefited in other
ways. Besides providing a significant amount of clean electricity and
reducing Maltas carbon dioxide emissions by a total of around 80,000
tons through reduction of fossil fuel consumption, such a project would
also have provided a valuable opportunity to observe and learn new skills
and harness more knowledge to better the technology in the future
The EPOU recommends the introduction of better incentives on
photovoltaic installations on household rooftops.
However, Malta are struggling to allow the incentives to be given out and
therefore there is a group of people waiting for their solar panels and
subsidiary for them and not getting them.
Other EPOU recommendations include;
o Car Sharing
o Projects to tackle vehicle emissions
o Bicycle use

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Matt Shacklady

Mr Day

25/01/2015

Ghana

Ghana is now looking to join the OPEC nations as it prepares for an oil
boom.
Energy security for energy producing nations means the security of
demand, for consuming countries it means the security of supply.
Ghanas Jubilee Field has proven reserves of more than 600 million barrels
of oil along with natural gas.
The IMF predicts that this field alone could earn Ghana as much as $20
billion by the year 2030. Ghana as a result would NOT be a consuming
state anymore but rather an oil producing nation.
Ghana will face many problems associated with oil production such as:
o Attack: Energy security concerns are exacerbated in times of
armed conflicts, threat of terrorism attack and in times of national
turmoil. In Nigeria, militant rebels have been attacking the countrys
oil pipelines, calling into questions of political stability of Nigeria
which represent Americas fifth largest source of oil imports.
o Infrastructure Security: A number of security issues are raised
for example, when pipelines and cables pass through a third state
to consumers. A security of Ghanas trans-border pipelines and
cables if crossing the land and marine zones of another state must
be properly monitored to prevent trespassers and encroachment as
such situations are very common. Ghana as a coastal state has the
right to establish conditions for submarine cables and pipelines
entering the territorial sea. Beyond the territorial sea and the
territory of the coast of Ghana, a general right of immersion exist
for all states at international law. But the laying of cables and
pipelines on the continental shelf is subject to a degree of the
coastal states control, including the right to prevent educe and
control pollution from pipelines.
o Climatic Change: This has become necessary for Ghana to think
about as countries like America and Japan are now creating more
jobs and slowing consumption of oil by churning out and buying
millions of fuel-efficient cars.
The following recommendations may prove very useful if Ghana would like
to work towards achieving her energy security
o Foreign Policy: Ghana should have to strengthen her security and
control of her foreign policies and offer no less a commitment to
energy independence by looking for more market elsewhere and
must not depend so much on countries like America and Japan. The
navy should also be properly equipped to deal with any unforeseen
foreign attacks on the countrys oil platforms, reservoirs and
refineries.
o National Commitment: Ghana needs a national commitment to
energy security of supply and to emphasize this commitment,
Ghana should install a Director of Energy Security to oversee all
efforts.
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Matt Shacklady

Mr Day

Regulations: Ghana must put in place new regulatory structures to

ensure proper health and safety rules to avoid any future disaster in
the oil and gas industry.
o Experience: Ghana must also learn from the experience of the
failure to make meaningful developments out of the countrys
abundance mineral and other natural resources in the past and
make significant improvements towards guaranteeing that this oil
does not go on the same path
o Foreign Domination: Ghana should not leave everything to the
destiny of the International Oil Corporations/ Foreign Oil Companies.
Active local participation and management of these hydrocarbon
resources must be encouraged to get more Ghanaians involve
reflecting the benefits that must be accrued to Ghana
o Corruption: This has been a significant mechanism of the natural
resources curse of Nigeria which has worked through deterioration
in the countrys institutional quality. Ghana must encourage proper
transparency and accountability procedures to allow access to oil
and gas revenue information accessible to opinion leaders and the
general public. By doing so, politicians may not be improperly
accused of plundering the countrys oil wealth for their own
benefits. They would also be mindful and cautious of their dealings
concerning this oil wealth.
Energy is essential for improving the quality of life and opportunities in
both developed and developing nations. Therefore, ensuring sufficient,
reliable and environmentally responsible supply of energy at price
reflecting market fundamentals is a bigger challenge for Ghana.
Ghana must be open and transparent. More so, equitable, stable and
effective legal and regulatory frameworks including the obligation to
uphold contracts irrespective of change to governments. There must also
be coordinated planning emergency response, including coordinated
planning of strategic stocks.
o

25/01/2015

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