🚫 Why We Oppose the Melita Gas Pipeline
📄 In April 2025, Friends of the Earth Malta once again submitted its feedback on the inclusion of the Melita pipeline on the PCI list – the EU’s list of transnational energy projects, ‘Projects of Common Interest’.
🛢️ The Melita TransGas Hydrogen Ready Pipeline is planned as a bi-directional pipeline between Sicily and Malta to transport natural gas (fossil gas) and renewable gases. It will fuel Malta’s power station, currently powered by imported LNG through the Electrogas deal. The total cost exceeds 400 million euros, to be fully funded by Malta. As Friends of the Earth Malta, we believe public money should be invested in the energy of the future, not of the past. There is no time to waste; for reasons of climate change and energy security, Malta should instead focus on local renewable energy, importing green electricity and improving energy efficiency.
The project description claims benefits such as enabling renewable gases like hydrogen, connecting Malta to the EU Gas Network and hydrogen backbone, aiding decarbonization, market integration, lower gas prices, and security of supply, while eliminating emissions from LNG. However, as Friends of the Earth Malta we contest these claims, as they are overstated and unproven. The pipeline risks locking Malta into a fossil fuel future with stranded gas assets and/or speculative hydrogen infrastructure.
❌Our key concerns about the proposed Melita gas pipeline include:
⛽ The project will prolong the lifetime of fossil gas assets, violating EU regulations. Article 24(3) of Regulation (EU) 2022/869 states that “the interconnections […] shall not lead to a prolongation of the lifetime of natural gas assets”. New fossil fuel infrastructure is completely incompatible with climate emission reduction targets.
💨 Hydrogen is almost exclusively produced from fossil fuels, contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, and has high leakage rates. Today, 95-99% of hydrogen is produced from fossil fuel sources (grey or blue hydrogen). Hydrogen is an indirect greenhouse gas and is extremely leak prone, as the world’s smallest and highly corrosive molecule. This means that during the transport, compression, and use of hydrogen, leaks and emissions must be accounted for. Due to leaks and emissions along the supply chain, fossil-based grey or blue hydrogen is not compatible with emission reduction targets, and thus not in line with the Union’s overall energy and climate policy objectives, one of the criteria under Article 24(2) of Regulation (EU) 2022/869. Furthermore, the project promoters have not supplied the requested evidence: “an assessment of the supply and demand for renewable or low-carbon hydrogen as well as a calculation of the greenhouse gas emissions reduction enabled by the project”, as required in aforementioned Article 24(2).
🔌 While project promoters argue the pipeline ends Malta’s gas isolation, Malta does not need or use gas, beyond current power generation. Malta is already connected to the European energy grid via the Sicily interconnector (since 2015), with a second interconnector planned for 2026. Malta’s National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) notes no local hydrogen market; importing hydrogen would only be viable with substantial demand in power generation, industrial heating, or transport sectors. Green hydrogen is commercially unavailable and inefficient; e.g. for power generation or electrification of transport, electricity directly produced from renewables or imported through the interconnectors is more efficient and straightforward. The EU Hydrogen Strategy recommends hydrogen only for sectors without climate-neutral alternatives, such as shipping and aviation. As Friends of the Earth Malta, we call for independent assessments of renewable hydrogen demand, emphasizing social justice, energy efficiency, and environmental protection, including producing hydrogen from surplus electricity not needed for direct electrification. To enhance energy security and sovereignty, Malta should prioritize diversifying energy sources away from fossil fuels, investing in renewable energy and efficiency instead of a gas pipeline.
💶 Finally, there is a risk that the Melita gas pipeline will result in Maltese taxpayer money and EU funding ending up in the pockets of Electrogas shareholders. This includes Yorgen Fenech, who is both associated with corrupt deals, and accused of being the mastermind behind the murder of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. Electrogas currently operates the Delimara power station and its LNG supply. The Melita gas pipeline project will trigger the payment of a gas exit price from the Maltese government to Electrogas, to compensate for the assets the energy company would hand over. According to EU law, funds must not be awarded to project promoters, operators, or investors convicted for fraud, corruption or conduct related to a criminal organisation.
📢 In 2024, over 1,000 citizens and NGOs petitioned against the Melita TransGas Pipeline. Friends of the Earth Malta demands investment in proven renewable technologies instead of stranded fossil fuel assets or speculative hydrogen infrastructure, and therefore opposes its inclusion in the PCI list.