Solar Panel Sales Grind to a Halt as PV Grant Delays Leave Retailers in Limbo
The solar panel industry here has hit a wall. Sales have literally dried up as retailers and suppliers wait for news on grants and the new feed-in tariff that Enemalta will pay for electricity production [1].
When we reached out to several suppliers across the island, the message was the same: business has come to a standstill. One supplier put it bluntly: "We are literally on our knees. PV grants remain closed, with prospective applicants becoming irritable because everyone is waiting for the subsidy, which is meant to encourage such an investment. PV suppliers are now feeling the financial strain" [1].
Another supplier echoed the frustration: "We've been without a new feed-in tariff or grants since last August and our prospective clients are investing elsewhere. We had no option but to pause sales. We cannot operate in this uncertainty" [1].
It's a tough spot for businesses that were banking on government support to drive demand. People want to go solar—that's clear—but without clarity on subsidies, many are holding off.
Regulator Says Scheme Launch Plans Are in Final Stages
The Regulator for Energy & Water Services (REWS) pushed back on the suggestion that things have stalled completely. A spokesperson told us that preparations are underway and are in their final stages for the launch of the scheme for 2026 [1].
REWS pointed to what they describe as a "huge success" in 2025. The renewable energy schemes administered by the regulator started with an initial €10.3 million allocation, which was later increased by €5 million in July 2025 due to strong demand [1]. After August 2025, a further €12.1 million in grants was allocated by December 2025 to 1,316 applicants [1]. Additionally, 206 applicants were approved under the Feed-In Tariff Scheme since last August [1].
New European Rules Complicate the Picture
Part of the delay appears to stem from new requirements coming down from Brussels. In January, the European Commission issued guidelines on implementing Article 28 within the Net Zero Industry Act, which incorporates sustainability and resilience requirements into incentive schemes from 2026 onwards [1].
REWS explained that a public authority can now decide to make the eligibility of net-zero technology schemes conditional on their sustainability and resilience contribution [1]. Following a European Commission meeting in early March, REWS held a stakeholder session with retailers here in Malta to explain the new requirements [1].
It's a regulatory tangle that's left the local industry waiting—and the customers even more impatient.