From dependence to resilience. Malta’s journey towards sustainable energy independence is a story of innovation, resilience, and forward thinking. 

From the interconnector with Italy and LNG-powered generation to rapid growth in renewables, the country has taken decisive steps to secure cleaner, more reliable, and more independent energy. 

Having achieved its 2030 renewable energy target nearly a decade early, Malta now looks ahead to a new milestone: generating 25% of its energy from renewables by 2030.

Energy independence has long been a challenge for Malta. As a small island state with virtually no natural energy resources, the country has always relied heavily on imports to meet its demand. For decades, this meant importing coal and diesel, until a decisive shift towards cleaner and more secure energy began in the last decade.

A major milestone was the 2015 inauguration of the interconnector between Malta and Italy, which enabled electricity imports directly from the European grid. This was followed by the transition to LNG-powered generation in 2017, marking a significant step in reducing emissions and improving air quality. These projects laid the foundation for a more sustainable energy system while maintaining security of supply.

In recent years, however, the government has gone further, transforming Malta’s energy landscape through ambitious renewable energy investment. Emerging technologies have created new opportunities for energy generation within the country’s limited territory, enabling Malta to reduce its dependence on fossil fuel imports and to produce clean, local power.

Since 2013, Malta’s renewable energy capacity has expanded from just 10 MW to more than 250 MW today, a remarkable achievement given the country’s size. These results are evident in the thousands of rooftop installations across homes and businesses, in the streamlining of permitting processes, and in the introduction of multiple support schemes by the Energy Ministry to make renewables more affordable.

The impact of these policies is clear: Malta achieved its original 2030 renewable target, that of 11.5%, nearly a decade early, in 2021. Building on this success, the government has now set a new, more ambitious goal of reaching 25% renewable energy by 2030. Through strategic planning and decisive action, Malta is steadily turning one of its greatest challenges, energy dependence, into a story of progress and resilience.