GIS-based approach for assessing the energy potential and the financial feasibility of run-off-river hydro-power in Alpine valleys

In the last decade, European attractive policies are favoring the construction of new run-off hydro-power plants. The realization cost of these plants is quite low in mountain areas thanks to small water discharges and high gross heads. For this reason, small rivers have been strongly exploited without considering an optimal use of the resource. Nowadays, available sites are often in areas with low accessibility and a greater specific cost of civil engineering works. However, during the planning of new small hydro-power plants, the dependency of physical, technical, legal and financial variable on space is often not assessed. The tool presented in this paper addresses this gap to support the planning of run-off-river plants. The method improves on previous approaches by (1) integrating all the legal, technical and financial analysis in a GIS tool, and (2) trying to validate the site-specific model with local knowledge. The tool is applied to the Gesso and Vermenagna valleys in the Alps. Information and data were collected and discussed with local stakeholders in order to improve the model results

Power of Forest Stakeholders in the Participatory Decision Making Process: A Case Study in Northern Italy

AbstractIn European countries, current forest use aims to enhance goods and services supplied by forest ecosystems, taking into account the multiple needs and interests of society through a participatory process. A successful participatory process requires a thorough analysis of stakeholders’ perceptions and preferences. The aim of this paper is to investigate the differences between stakeholders’ perceived influence and real power in forest management. A questionnaire survey was carried out among 51 forest stakeholders in a case study in the Italian Alps. Perceived influence was measured by asking stakeholders to rate on a 5-point scale the extent to which they can influence forest management issues. Real power was analyzed using social network analysis (SNA), investigating the relationships that stakeholders have with each other in the network. Real power was measured using a Freeman’s degree centrality measure, which focuses on the direct ties coming in and out for each stakeholder. The results show that public administration is the category of stakeholders with the most power in all forest management issues, while the actors of the tourism sector are in a marginal position. In addition, the results of the study suggest that in many cases stakeholders have a distorted perception of their own power.</jats:p

Exploring Residents’ Willingness to Pay for Renewable Energy Supply: Evidences from an Italian Case Study

The present study offers a contingent valuation application to explore residents ́ willingness to pay for renewable energy, in a case study in the Italian Alps. Data originated from onsite personal interviews and were analyzed with a Tobit model. Results show that respondents are willing to pay, on average, 5.1€ per month for a 100% of renewable energy supply, corresponding approximately to a 13% increase in the energy bill. Among the factors positively affecting the answers, the personal knowledge about renewable energy plays a key role in predicting WTP, as well as income and the personal perception of future possible development of hydropower plants. On the other hand, age and number of household components negatively affect WTP

Social implications of energy infrastructure digitalisation and decarbonisation

Digitalisation provides opportunities to decarbonise energy and, simultaneously, address social exclusion and inequality—but it is unclear whether and how these opportunities are realised. Three case studies investigate whether ongoing energy infrastructure digitalisation processes are accommodating commoning or enclosure, using a continuum of commoning versus enclosure practices to examine this question. Multi-sited fieldwork throughout the period 2021–22 is used to compare sectoral transitions in three European mid-sized cities: mobility in Bergen (NO), solar generation in Brighton & Hove (UK) and smart electric meters in Trento (IT). Semi-structured and narrative expert interviews (N = 66), a mix of structured (N = 134) and semi-structured (N = 49) citizen interviews, citizen focus groups (N = 17), seminars (N = 2), participatory workshops (N = 4), and extended participant observation reveal multiple and contradictory processes of commoning and enclosure. Decarbonisation and digitalisation are proceeding unevenly, with tendencies of enclosure and missed opportunities to achieve commoning of energy infrastructure for public benefit. Opportunities are identified to enable commoning pathways in ongoing twin transitions. Policy relevance The digitalisation of energy infrastructure is a significant transition because it holds the key to rapid electrification of multiple sectors and thus wider societal decarbonisation. Yet the way it takes place must embody justice and social inclusion in order to advance just transitions while developing new infrastructures. European cities constitute some of the most advanced arenas globally where such changes are simultaneously unfolding and being contested. This comparative multi-methods qualitative study offers insights into the challenges of enclosure—and opportunities for commoning—during transitions in urban transport in Bergen (NO); household solar photovoltaics in Brighton & Hove (UK); and smart meters in Trento (IT). This analysis provides policymakers and practitioners with a novel understanding of the social implications of energy infrastructure digitalisation. This can inform praxis for just transitions that transcend these specific contexts

Energy transition in Alpine local communities. Public response to changes towards low carbon energy systems.

This research defines the public response to changes towards low carbon energy systems. The findings support regional and local energy planners in order to accelerate the energy transition in the Alpine local communities, compatibly with their resources and specificities. Energy transition is a long-term change process of the energy system towards low carbon features (i.e., more energy production from renewable sources, higher energy efficiency). From a technological point of view, energy system is an integrated system including several energy sources, technologies, and products for energy production, distribution, and consumption. From a social point of view, local population's choices and actions determine the time and the features of energy transition at regional and local scales. Indeed, energy system is not only technology matter. Socio-energy and territorial approaches underline the importance of features and relationships between energy, society, and space. Based on the interactions between energy, society, and space, this research delineates an analytical framework and an applied definition of socio-energy system at local and translocal scale. Through a systematic literature review of 168 scientific publications, this research defines the list of dimensions and key aspects that shape an energy system at regional and local scales by means of local population's choices. This research uses these dimensions to analyse the socio-energy systems and their variation within a regional territory. The transformation of these dimensions into variables is the basis for the cluster analysis applied to the South Tyrol case study (Italy). This analysis defines eight different socio-energy systems within this regional territory. Each socio-energy system has its own specificities and resources to take into consideration in the energy planning for accelerating the energy transition. With the aim to propose recommendations on how to use social and territorial specificities as levers for wider achievement of energy targets at local scale, this research proposes a Decision Support Tool addressed to regional and local energy planners. The Decision Support Tool also reports potential collaborations between municipalities with similar specificities and needs in order to save, protect, and share resources for a more effective energy planning. The collaborations proposed by the Decision Support Tool only partially coincide with the actual collaborations in the energy governance of South Tyrol. Through a Bayesian exponential random graph model, this research identifies the network structures and dynamics that are at the basis of the actual energy governance. Further, the analysis identifies some network configurations that might change the actual network towards an energy governance that consider the local and translocal specificities. Concluding, the methodologies used in this research are replicable to other case studies with small adjustments

What Is the Relationship between Collective Memory and the Commoning Process in Historical Building Renovation Projects? The Case of the Mas di Sabe, Northern Italy

In Italy, an increasing number of historical buildings have been abandoned in the last decades. As a response, some local administrations decided to foster renovation projects to preserve their heritage for future generations. Among them, the northern municipality of Val di Zoldo (Veneto) relies on the European Shelter Project, which covers a part of the costs of renovating an ancient private barn called Mas di Sabe, which the community considers an identity symbol of local history and culture. For this reason, the local administration decided to acquire the structure through donations and expropriation, activating a commoning process of the Mas di Sabe. This process is based on the involvement of local inhabitants to identify the building&rsquo;s future uses, which will inform the renovation project and the integration of renewable energy plants. Through thirteen semi-structured interviews, the study investigates how the collective memories of the building influence and are influenced by the commoning process of the Mas di Sabe. By analyzing the results and identifying five categories (future visions, collective memory, commoning process, energy, and resources), the study shows that collective memory and commoning process have a crucial role in determining people&rsquo;s visions and imaginaries on historical buildings&rsquo; renovation

Local reflections on low-carbon energy systems: A systematic review of actors, processes, and networks of local societies

Local population actions determine the level of renewability of local energy systems in the context of energy transition goals. Local population makes energy choices based on the availability of different territorial re- sources and limits, i.e. natural or environmental, technological, and social ones. The aim of this research is to identify the main dimensions and aspects of territory that can address its change towards energy transition. Indeed, energy system is not only technology matter. Socio-energy and territorial approaches (Osti, 2010; Jessop et al., 2008 [2]) underline the importance of features and relationships between the territorial systems: natural, technological, economic, legislative, social, and cultural ones. This research identifies substantial, procedural, and relational dimensions or characteristics of territorial energy systems based on the Conflict Management Triangle (European Forest Institute, 1996). 1084 journal papers have been selected based on specific criteria, allowing 168 papers to be analyzed using NVIVO11plus\uae. Following the qualitative and quantitative method applied for the systematized literature review, 15 dimensions and 41 sub-dimensions related to local population choices about energy transition have been selected. This is a scientific attempt to use a content analysis software (NVIVO11plus) in this scientific domai