Malta serves as testing ground for solar energy technology

Researchers in Malta are utilizing the island’s harsh environmental conditions to advance solar energy technology. Due to high sunshine hours combined with salty sea air, extreme heat, and Saharan dust storms, Malta serves as a rigorous testing ground for photovoltaic (PV) systems.

Under the EU-funded PROMISE initiative, the Foundation for Innovation and Research – Malta is working to improve the reliability and maintenance of solar installations. Since 2010, solar power uptake in Malta has risen from nearly zero to approximately 20-22%.

To address the issue of undetected system faults, researchers have developed digital twins—digital replicas of real installations used to simulate scenarios and identify potential failures. Additionally, they have implemented AI tools that provide 24/7 monitoring to automatically flag faults, preventing significant damage that often occurs when production drops unnoticed.