Energy production from biogas in the Italian countryside: Policies and organizational models

Effects of changes in Italian bioenergy promotion schemes for agricultural biogas projects: Insights from a regional optimization model

“…By applying the model to the selected case study, the incentive mechanism in force in Italy until 2012 was shown to foster the homogenization process towards so-called "entrepreneurial farms" (Carrosio, 2013), that is, a proliferation of 999 kW biogas power plants, based on maize as a feedstock and without external uses of the heat produced as a byproduct. Under former support schemes, the economic potential (46.17 MW) for electricity from agricultural biogas in the area of concern would have reached more than 90% of the technical potential (50.5 MW), generating environmental concerns about the saturation of available areas for digestate disposal and about the social acceptance of a high spatial density of plants (46 plants in 131 municipalities or 4000 km 2 ).…”

“…Indeed, an analysis of the Italian biogas market based on neo-institutional theory (Carrosio, 2013) highlighted that in recent years very similar typologies have become dominant in Italy, i.e., 999 kWe plants using a mix of animal feedstock and energy crops (mainly maize) as substrates. From an organizational viewpoint, Carrosio (2013) classified these plants as "entrepreneurial farms" that do not have significant connections with local communities and do not make use of the heat they produce. Such isomorphic process would result in economic and environmental inefficiencies, increasing the cost of corn products for fodder and emissions from the transport of biomass from farther areas to supply oversized plants.…”

Energy parameters and feedstock management in farm-scale biogas plants: survey in the North-East of Italy

“…In the 2011-2013 period, Italian agricultural AD plants have a surprising increase (almost 300 %), due to a particularly favorable incentive for biogas electric energy generation; in addiction, the biogas plant number has grown from 314 (end of 2010) to 994 (end of 2012) and the electric power from 176 to 756 MW [9].…”

Sustainable biofuel: A question of scale and aims

“…The international discussion pays little attention to the territorial dimension of biofuel production and, thus, to the relations between biofuel production chains and territorial organisation at different spatial scales (Puttilli, 2009;Puttilli and Tecco, 2012 Amigun et al (2011);Azar and Larson (2000); Carrosio (2013); Colbran (2011);Cotula (2012);Dalla Marta et al (2011);Dauvergne and Neville (2010);de Carvalho and Marin (2011);Duvail et al (2012);Fernandes et al (2010); Gao et al (2011);Gupta and Dermibas (2010); Hazlewood (2012); Levidow and Paul (2010); Montefrio and Sonnenfeld (2013); Naylor (2007); Jensen and Andersen (2013); Pérez et al (2011);Ponti and Gutierrez (2009);Rathmann et al (2010); Rowe et al (2009);Russi (2008); Sawyer (2008); Sullivan et al (2011);Tsao et al (2012); Vermeulen and Cotula (2010); Williams et al (2012); Zeller and Grass (2008) more attention to be paid to the geographies of the energy transition. In particular, location, landscape, territoriality, spatial differentiation, scaling and spatial embeddedness are identified by these authors as necessary concepts to reflect the spatiality of energy transitions, which is too often analysed as single case studies.…”

“…This model creates ecological impacts and contradictions relating to environmental, socio-economic and geopolitical aims (Ponti and Gutierrez, 2009;Russi, 2008). Various studies, referring particularly to first-generation biofuels but also to biogas produced according to a profit logic and without connections to local communities (Carrosio, 2013), show the impacts on environmental and socio-economic organisation (Altieri, 2009;de Carvalho and Marin, 2011;Naylor, 2007;Sawyer, 2008). Several studies underline changes in agriculture, the alteration of land use dynamics, food insecurity and an increase in food prices (Azar and Larson, 2000;Rathmann et al 2010).…”