EIMA Energy: more space for the bioeconomy
Last year, the bioeconomy provided qualified employment to approximately 2 million Italians, generating a turnover of EUR 437.5 billion. EIMA Energy 2024 fits into this framework, showcasing all the technologies needed for the handling and treating of agricultural and forestry biomass
According to the data contained in the recent report "The Bioeconomy in Europe", produced by the Research Department of Intesa Sanpaolo in collaboration with the Cluster Spring and Assobiotec Federchimica, it appears clear that the sector is continuing to grow, showing clear strength in its different and multiple production lines. The data collected tell us that in 2023 the set of activities connected to the bioeconomy in Italy provided qualified work to approximately 2 million people, generating a turnover of EUR 437.5 billion (9.3 billion more than in 2022).
The market segments considered in the report ranged from forestry to fishing, without overlooking wood, paper, green chemistry and pharmaceutical industries, food, textiles, furniture and green building. Among all the other green supply chains in Europe, agri-food is of particular importance. Especially in Italy, where companies involved in the food sector are on average smaller than those in other European countries, but are also more innovative than their continental competitors.
In the broad sphere of the bioeconomy, obviously, the supply chains linked to the energy production from biomass also play a central role, therefore bioenergy, biofuels and, in a manner that rounds out the circular economy, in addition to agricultural and agro-industrial by-products, also the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW). EIMA Energy 2024 fits into this decidedly stimulating framework, certainly corroborated by the push towards the energy transition of the Green Deal, showcasing the machinery and technologies needed for the handling and treatment of agricultural and forestry biomass, which are excellent renewable energy sources. Few people know that bioenergy makes a large contribution to the national energy requirement in Italy, covering approximately 9% of the total gross final energy consumption and approximately 50% of all energy generated from renewable sources (RES). The main reason for this lies in the fact that, among all the RES, Biomass has the advantage of being widely available and, above all, of being able to be converted, with mature and reliable technologies, into electricity, heat and biofuels for transport. In Italy, the production of energy from biomass can rely on a solid industrial background, comprising thousands of facilities throughout the country. In Italy, the most important bioenergy "chains" are represented, in order, by the production of heat from solid biomass for domestic and industrial uses, electricity from solid biomass, biogas and bioliquids, liquid biofuels (biodiesel, HVO, ethanol/ETBE) from dedicated crops and biomethane from easily biodegradable biomass. The chart shows a graphic depiction of the number of biomass electricity generation plants, divided by type. Most of these plants, and almost all of the biogas power plants, are medium-small in size (from 1 MW to a few hundred kW of installed power). The small size, in addition to making it possible to supply biomass locally, facilitates the use of the heat produced by cogenerators, especially for agricultural applications.
These plants, which have continued to grow, albeit slowly, have generated considerable social as well as environmental benefits in recent years. In fact, according to the Report “The National Energy Situation in 2023” prepared by the Energy Department of the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE), the set of electric RES generated an added value equal to over EUR 5 billion last year with approximately 36,000 permanent employees (direct and indirect), of whom approximately 30% (11,000 operators) work in the bioenergy sector. To these must be added another 29,000 workers in the thermal sector (biofuel heating systems) and all the others who operate in the biomass supply phases in the field (agriculture and forestry).
We can therefore state that the main challenge for the future of bioenergy production in Italy is linked to the creation and spread of territorial production/supply chains of biomass for different uses, which are able to supply the quantities required by the market and ensure suitable quality standards, consequently reducing imports from abroad. The adoption of measures aimed at promoting the sustainable use of national resources would have further positive effects not only in economic terms, but also in terms of employment and the fight against depopulation of mountainous and rural areas. It would also encourage the development of an industrial sector, such as forestry mechanization and the production of quality solid biofuels (pellets), with which Italy has accrued a lot of experience and for which there exist many truly great producers.
For all these reasons, EIMA International has been proposing the Energy Showcase for more than twenty years where, also at this year's event, in addition to a rich program of topical seminars, a demo area will be set up to present the most modern machines for the collection and treatment of biomass. The vehicles will be put through their paces and discussed at least four times a day for the entire duration of the fair.
The role of mechanizationì in the development of bioenergy
A basic element for the economic sustainability of the energy use of biomass is constituted by the production costs of the biofuel, determined mainly by the working systems used, the organization of the construction sites and the experience of the operators.
Modern agricultural and forestry mechanization plays a primary role in the development of bioenergy chains, making it possible to move biomass resources at low costs and at the same time ensure high quality standards. Machines and construction sites must be modulated in reference to the qualitative specifications of the biofuel it is desired to produce which, in turn, are conditioned by the type of equipment used for their energy conversion.
EIMA Energy Workshop Schedule
Wednesday, November 6th - Sala Madrigale, Pavilion 36
• 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm “RuralBioUP Project - Bioeconomy in agro-ecosystems: Biofertilizers, active molecules and soil improvers” (English)
• 5:15 pm – 6:30pm “MULCHING+ Project: innovative technical means for sustainable agriculture” (English)
Thursday, November 7th - Sala Quintetto – Pavilion 36
• 11:00 am – 12:00 pm “Drought and water saving: the solution is the satellite”
• 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm "Agrivoltaics and agricultural machinery: a complex coexistence"
Friday, November 8th - Sala Quintetto – Pavilion 36
• 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm – “Forestry cableways: an efficient, low-impact technology”
Saturday, November 9th - Sala Quintetto – Pavilion 36
• 10:00 am – 11:00 am “Agri-Culture Project: Biodistricts in the Economy of an Island”
• 11:15 am – 12:00 pm “RuralBioUp Project: a tool to estimate biomass availability”
• 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm – “A Project for the Recovery of Fruit-bearing Chestnut Groves: the pilot grove of Sant'Agata d'Esaro (CS)”
