Energy use in Urban Transport sector within the Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SEAPs) of three Italian Big Cities

Promising Renewable Energy solutions could be installed in cities, but they require specific morphological conditions as well as architectural integration. Transport sector is still neglected from a strong policy initiative. A first attempt along with a defined framework to attract economic resources as well as interested stakeholders is the Covenant of Mayors (CoM). Within this agreement, the Municipality has to design a plan, the so-called Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP). The plan must contain a clear outline of the strategy and relative actions to be taken by the local authority to reach its commitments in 2020, in terms of sustainability goals set by EU 20-20-20. The aim of this paper is to discuss and evaluate the differences of fuel usage and transport sector interaction in Italian urban scenarios, taking into account geographical and morphological constraints, and to compare the forecasts for 2020 and 2030scenarios, in accordance with European and National laws in force

Energy planning for metropolitan context: potential and perspectives of sustainable energy action plans (seaps) of three italian big cities

Energy retrofitting of existing building stock and new expansion of urban settlements entail a new relationship between consumption and production sites. Especially, new production facilities linked to the renewables boom are not taken into account by the urban governance. Energy planning instruments could be the viable tool to manage the new energy transition focusing on territorial resources. The Sustainable Energy Action Plan is the most common and widespread due to its voluntary nature. The study analysed the SEAPs of three big Italian Cities to assess an integrated framework for planning renewables at the metropolitan scale

A Schematic Framework to Assess Mini Hydro Potentials in the Italian Regional Energy and Environmental Plans

In compliance with EU legislation (Directive 2009/28/EC, that establishes for each Member State a target calculated according to the share of energy from renewable sources in its gross final consumption to 2020) and Italian regulatory framework (DM 15/03/12- Burden Sharing, that defines the regional objectives regarding renewable sources), each Italian Region must develop its own Regional Energy and Environmental Plan (PEAR). In order to promote the renewable energy sources (RES) production and to achieve a better energy efficiency use, the PEARS should propose to adopt a distributed multi generation (DMG) strategy. The main aim of this paper is a preliminary assessment of mini hydro potential and perspectives (P <1 MW) in Italian PEARS. Mini hydro is a mature and developed technology in Italy, and it represents a valiant opportunity for both local territories and the whole national system. Furthermore, thanks to its small size (low economic investment and environmental impact) and its versatility, it has the characteristics for a long-term development with direct industrial implications (i.e. energy cooperative and short supply chain). Specifically, the PEARS of four Regions were analysed, identifying the different information about mini hydro and comparing characteristics and potential. The results obtained are summarized in a schematic framework useful to draw a preliminary PEARS guideline that indicates strategies and policies, harmonizing public and private initiatives and structuring a local-scale economy through a mini hydro based DMG

Pianificazione energetica multi-livello: stima del potenziale e delle interazioni tra i piani energetici locali italiani verso nuove strategie di integrazione

All’interno dell’attuale contesto socio-culturale in cui la crisi economico-finanziaria della pubblica amministrazione si salda agli effetti del Climate change, alle policy ambientali internazionali e all’affermarsi delle nuove tecnologie, è stata indagata e predisposta una metodologia innovativa che rilegge alle diverse scale la pianificazione energetica (livello regionale, di distretto e urbano). Sono stati analizzati gli strumenti normativi di scala regionale (Piani Energetici Ambientali Regionali - PEAR), di distretto (Patti delle Isole) e di livello urbano/metropolitano (Piani d’Azione per l’Energia Sostenibile e il Clima - PAESC) individuando opportunità e criticità. La metodologia individuata ha consentito di introdurre e coordinare il corretto inserimento delle fonti rinnovabili e di politiche di riduzione delle emissioni climalteranti nel settore dei trasporti. In questo contesto uno sforzo di programmazione e gestione marco-territoriale che partendo dalla pianificazione regionale e nazionale (Piani Energetici Ambientali Regionali) dovrà maggiormente relazionarsi con la spinta partecipativa, che nel solco tracciato dalle policy comunitarie, sta animando la disciplina energetica delle comunità in particolare attraverso lo strumento del Piano d’Azione per l’Energia Sostenibile e il Clima. L’opportunità offerta consentirà di predisporre strumenti multi-livello (di carattere regionale ma declinabili al livello di distretto e urbano) che facendo leva sul principio di sussidiarietà e i processi partecipativi, consentiranno ai PAES di migliorarsi e adattarsi reciprocamente attraverso una politica globale di pianificazione energetica. Il veicolo sarà quello di sviluppare uno strumento integrato in grado di armonizzare i PAES per promuovere una generazione distribuita basata sulle FER a livello multi-scalare.Within the current cultural and social context in which the economic and financial crisis of public administration is firmly rooted in the effects of climate change, international environmental policies and the emergence of new technologies, an innovative methodology, that analyzes energy planning (regional, district, and urban) at different scales, has been investigated. Regional (Regional Energy and Environmental Plans - PEAR), district (Pact of Islands) and urban/metropolitan (Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans - SECAP) energy plans have been analyzed by identifying opportunities and critical issues. The methodology identified has allowed to introduce and coordinate the proper integration of renewable sources (RES) and emission (GHG) reduction policies in the transport sector. In this context, a territorial planning and management effort, starting from the regional and national planning (PEAR), will have to relate more to the participatory push, which in the footsteps of Community policies is animating the energy discipline of the communities in particular through the instrument of the Action Plan for Sustainable Energy and Climate. The opportunity offered will enable the development of multi-level instruments (regional but declinable at the district and urban level), SECAPs to improve and adapt to each other through a comprehensive policy on energy planning . The vehicle will be to develop an integrated tool able to harmonize the SACAPs to promote distributed RES based generation at multi-scalar level

Local energy planning: Potential and perspectives of transport sector in sustainable energy action plans (SEAPs) of four small Italian islands

Nowadays, Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SEAPs), represent a great tool for European municipalities and regions to plan, implement, monitor and evaluate their own energy and climate actions, and in doing so contribute to GHG reduction and adaptation achievements. The study analysed the SEAPs of four small Italian islands (Sits) to evaluate specific impact of transportations taking into account interactions with local renewable energy. Assessing the forecasts for 2020 and 2030 scenarios, in accordance with European and National laws in force, the aim of this paper is to assess an integrated flowchart for planning transport sector and to harmonize it with renewable energy sources (RES) at the local scale

On the path to energy independence: hybrid energy systems evaluation towards Favignana smart energy Island.

Energy costs, CO2 emissions, security of supply and system stability are common challenges in small islands. Many European islands have become pilot sites of energy innovation but this green transition goes slowly in several Small Italian islands (SIIs), which are not connected to the national grid. This study examines the suitability of using hybrid energy system comprising PV, hydrogen and batteries storage, diesel generators, Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) and HCNG vehicles to meet Favignana island (Italy) electricity and public transportation demand, so as to increase the RES penetration level. The Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewable (HOMER) software is used to carry out the energy analysis of different scenarios to identify the most effective energy solution from both technological and economical point of views. The outcomes show that the implementation of hybrid energy systems can be an adequate and reliable option for increasing energy independency of Favignana island