We need greater focus on solar power

CYPRUS needs to make better use of solar power, according to Green party leader George Perdikis last night.Perdikis was speaking at an event organised at the House of Representatives in anticipation of the European Solar Power Day which is tomorrow, Friday.“Although Cyprus has done well to make use of its 300 days of sunshine per year in heating water for home use,” it has failed to use solar energy to produce electrical energy, Perdikis argued.He went on to say that his party has, “asked, on more than one occasion, for the development of a rounded social dialogue which will lead to fundamental changes in energy policy.” He thought that, “the recent introduction of a compulsory energy plan in building design was a positive step.“However, the matter of saving energy in the transport sector remains. Any change in this sector goes hand-in-hand with deep-rooted changes in transport policy,” he added.He also expressed his party’s line on EU energy policy aims.The EU partially describes its energy policy via its ‘20-20-20’ slogan: the aim is to reduce energy consumption by 20 per cent and increase renewable energy use by 20 per cent by the year 2020.Perdikis was negative about this, saying that it does not go far enough, while he was aware that others thought that it is unachievable.

(Cyprus Mail 2008)