A roundabout in the limits of Hal Safi has become the first solar-powered roundabout, as all its electrical and irrigation features will be using renewable energy generated by the photovoltaic cells installed.
This was announced by Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning Aaron Farrugia, who said that this is the first project of its kind in Malta that depends in its entirety on renewable energy sources.
The Minister explained that this roundabout, which was demolished at the start of last year, has now been re-instated as part of this project and a number of pollinator-friendly plants have been planted.
The project will be sparing around 10kg of CO2 emissions every 24 hours.
“This project is a small example of how local councils and other entities can come together to create sustainable projects – in this case, coupling renewable energy with urban embellishment to set an example, improve our urban landscape, benefit pollinators and reap the benefits of solar energy. Seasonal plants were also planted on-site to boost the aesthetics of the project, and all the plants are suitable for Malta’s climate and do not require excessive watering,” the Minister said.
This project was carried out by Ambjent Malta with the collaboration of Safi Local Council and the Environmental Landscapes Consortium (ELC) as the contractor. Present for the announcement were Ambjent Malta Director (Business Development) Francis Farrugia and Malta Embellishment and Landscaping Project (MELP) Senior Manager Joseph Borg Camilleri, as well as Safi mayor Johan Mula.
Minister Farrugia reiterated that Ambjent Malta is committed to implementing and managing areas of conservation, protected areas, green infrastructure, the environment and sensitive areas, whilst ensuring the valorisation of Malta’s natural capital as an economic, social, and environmental resource. In 2021 alone, Ambjent Malta invested over €350,000 for new embellishment projects with ELC.
Mayor of Hal Safi Johan Mula stated that the local council from the very beginning wanted this project to be completely environmentally clean. He explained that the solar panels are the only sources of energy for the operation of this project, which includes an irrigation system for watering several shrubs around the roundabout and surrounding soft areas, an LED lighting system that illuminates the roundabout at night, as well as the pump that powers the fountain — which was also created through this project.
Source: Office of the Prime Minister