Biogas and biomethane: The challenge of the intelligent energies

Environment Park, in collaboration with ETA Florence has organized the first Italian regional workshop "Biogas and Biomethane: the challenge of the intelligent energies" in order to give an overview of the national state of art but also to investigate the existing technologies and the future development opportunities in this sector.

In Italy, every year 220 million of cubic meters of biogas are produced against a potential of 54 million of cubic meters; currently the biogas produced is mainly used in cogenerators for the production of electric and thermal energy. Is it possible a better exploitation of this energetic and economic resource?

The congress aims to give strength to the promotion of a green economy idea where biogas and biomethane represent a real technological challenge and a suitable alternative to conventional fuels. In particular biomethane can be used as a fuel in the automotive field or injected into the natural gas grid.

The event, chaired by Alessandro Battaglino (Manager Director, Environment Park) in the morning session and Davide Damosso (R&D Director, Environment Park) in the afternoon session, has been organized in Turin in the congress centre of Environment Park, in the framework of the GasHighWay project with the enthusiastic participation of more than 200 persons during the entire day. The project was presented by Paola Zitella from Environment Park who highlighted objectives, methodology of work and expected results in the next years by enhancing the role of Environment Park as leader of the Work Package 3, concerning the development of gas refueling infrastructures in Europe.

The congress has been focused on different features:

  • presentation of a strategy for development of biogas in the Piedmont Region (A.Bairati, Regione Piemonte)
  • presentation of the state of the art of biogas sector in Italy (S.Piccinini, CRPA and G.Gilli, University of Turin)
  • biogas production from wastes (D. Mainero, Acea Pinerolese and C.Campione, Amiat)
  • biogas plant and upgrading units design and production (A.Dalpiaz, MT Energie)
  • biogas incentives legislation (C Viganò, Aper)
  • possibility of development of biomethane in Italy (G.Orlanda, Regione Piemonte- V.Boicelli, Consorzio KWerde- D.Natali, Federmetano- M.Costa, NGV System Italia)
  • biomethane as a fuel for vehicles (A.Fuganti, CRF Trento)

At the end of each session of work there was a question time with the technical contribution of speakers animating the debate.

Finally a guided tour to the pilot plant of Environment Park dedicated to the exploitation of biomass for biogas production was organized in order to show to all the interested participants the technology of anaerobic fermentation at pilot scale.

During the event, the GasHighWay brochure (prepared by ETA) and a CD with all proceedings have been delivered to all participants.

Programme (incl. links to the presentations):

09:00 Registration

09:30 Welcome and opening session
A. Bairati, Piedmont Region, Regional Minister for University, Research, Innovation and Internationalisation, Telecommunications, E-government, Industry and Energy

09:50 GasHighWay project: "Biogas highway” from Finland to Italy
Ing. P. Zitella, Environment Park – Dott. M. Cocchi, Eta Florence

10 :10 Co-digestion chain hypotesis in Piedmont Region: project framework and preliminary results
Prof. G. Gilli – Dott.ssa D. Traversi – Dott.ssa R. Degan, Turin University

10:30 Agricultural sector contribution to biomethane production
Dott. M. Brumati, Piedmont Region Agricolture Direction

10:50 Biogas in Italy: State of the art and bio-methane future development
Dott. S. Piccinini, CRPA-Centro Ricerche Produzioni Animali

11:10 Biogas from wastes: capability and use
Ing. D. Mainero, Acea Pinerolese

11:30 Biogas from waste to energy resource: biogas from landfill management
Ing. C. Campione, Amiat

11:50 Upgrading of biogas for feed into the natural gas grid: technology and economic analysis
Ing. A. Dalpiaz, MT-Energie

12:10 Question Time

CHAIRMAN: Davide Damosso, R&D Director Environment Park

14:00 Biogas production incentives: the focus on Italian legislation
Ing. C.Viganò, APER

14:20 Regional advance of biomethane use in trasport
G. Orlanda - Regione Piemonte Ciommerce, Safety and Local Police Direction

14:40 KWerde biogas consortium and initiatives for Biomethane development in Italy
Dott. V. Boicelli, Consorzio KWerde

15:00 Biomethane: an alternative to fossil fuels in road transport
Ing. D. Natali, Federmetano

15:20 Biomethane: best practices and gas grid distribution status in Italy
Ing. M. Costa, NGV System Italia

15:40 Biomethane as a fuel: Oil free zone case study in Trentino (Italy)
Ing. A. Fuganti, Centro Ricerche Fiat, Trento Branch

16:00 Question Time e and closing remarks