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Stakeholders and public decision-makers met in Rome on 30 January to discuss the issues that emerged from the Nomisma Report on the "Ecological-energy transition in the agri-food sector". Farms are willing to invest in eco-sustainable technologies but have to deal with several critical issues

To obtain biomethane, the upgrading process, i.e. the removal of carbon dioxide from the biogas, is essential. Today, several efficient technological solutions are available which, supported by clearer regulations and incentives, can facilitate its deployment

In a joint letter, the main associations of the national solid biomass sector have addressed the competent Ministries (MiTe, Mipaaf and Mise) to ask for a prompt discussion on the transposition process of the "REDII" Directive on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources. The aim is to avert the risk of a possible revision of the Directive, cur-rently being discussed in Brussels, which would introduce new sustainability criteria for biomass, even before an assessment in the field of the already very stringent ones provi-ded by REDII in the transposition phase

In relation to the growing need for energy from renewable sources, the production of biogas from the anaerobic decay of new waste materials offers significant advantages. By extending interest to those organic matrices rich in cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin that today can’t be exploited. The several lines of research, we will be able to obtain sustainable biofuels from woody biomass recovered from our fields

The project aims to create networks of stakeholders in the field of the bioeconomy in the five European partner countries. The creation of sustainable agricultural and forestry production chains will be facilitated by promoting a dialogue between the business and research worlds. Solutions will be provided to the needs of operators by focusing on the transfer of technological innovations resulting from specific lines of research

Over the next decade, in Italy, bioenergy will keep on developing, mainly targeting thermal energy and energy carriers (biomethane) for transport. Electricity generation from biomass will occur in smaller installations suitable for farms. This trend will demand further development of more efficient innovative technologies and lower investment costs

Italy is called to speed up the process of decarbonizing the economy, and the Recovery Fund could help this process in the agricultural and forestry mechanization sector as well

The COBRAF project – Biorefinery co-products, approved by the Rural Development Plan 2014-2020 of the Tuscany Region, promotes the launch of a solid model of bioeconomy, starting from four oilseed crops: camelina, hemp, safflower, and flax. All species that have been grown for thousands of years in Europe, but which are yet innovative for the current Tuscan cultivation system. These crops, which are extremely interesting from a nutritional and healthy point of view, need modern mechanization to optimize the yields of the supply chains related to them

As production resumes after the stoppage caused by the pandemic, great opportunities emerge for the green economy, but the primary sector needs workers in the field. With this in mind, the Ministry of Agriculture has funded a training course, available for free online, on the mechanization of the supply chains linked to bioenergy

An agreement on the development of biomethane was signed in Rome on 19 April at the headquarters of Confagricoltura, in the spirit of supporting the objectives contained in the decree (issued on 2 March 2018) which promotes its dissemination. The...

The use of biomethane can bring new opportunities for mechanized agriculture. To examine this issue in a perspective of supply-chain, the MiSE (Ministry of the Economic Development) established a technical work table with Italy's main stakeholders, among which FederUnacoma

This year has started with the agreement between Coldiretti and ENI to create the first network supply of agricultural biomethane “from the field to the pump”, to reach a production of 8 billion cubic meters of gas by 2030, and...

The current management of crop residues in Costa Rica's pineapple plantations is a serious problem, while going forward it could be an opportunity for sustainable development. With this in mind, as part of the Extraordinary Promotion Plan for Made in Italy products, the Ministry of Economic Development has stimulated the establishment of an industrial partnership between Italy and the Central American country based on innovative mechanization in agriculture. This is a summary of the results of the preliminary tests carried out by CREA on machines found on site to optimize their performance in the field

With a long-awaited provision, the national forest sector can be relaunched by stimulating active forest management through modern governance, sustainable production, infrastructure creation and knowledge transfer. The text is the result of a constructive dialogue between policy and industry stakeholders, aiming to ensure environmental and landscape protection, the development of new "green economies" and employment growth

Utilizing residues is a good practice rooted in agriculture and is returning today as a strategy for developing a circular economy. Tree pruning operations create substantial quantities of biomass which can be put to use for the production of renewable energy sources. Moving residual biomass must be done with limited cost and the certainty of the level of the quality of the materials collected. For this purpose it is important to have a good organization of the supply chain with recourse to know-how and avant garde mechanization. The experience of the Agritoppi in Foggia working with the collaboration of the Nobili industry

In Italy, biomethane is the biofuel to invest in to achieve the targets set for 2020. At the moment the national chain of anaerobic digestion of organic matrices stops at the biogas stage with high technological levels and an excellent production system. The next step will be the upgrading of biogas to biomethane. A decree will be issued to encourage the use of biomethane in the transport sector

In the framework of the Horizon 2020 programme, the project Agroinlog aims to develop models for the management of agricultural and agroindustrial residual biomass. In the context of the project, which involves a number of partner countries, the pilot experience in the city of Calimera in the province of Lecce plays a key role. It is based on the use of olive prunings and can be reproduced in any territory with the same agricultural vocation, such as Greece

Jatropha curcas is a hardy plant which can withstand arid environments and grow on poor wastelands typical of developing countries. Oil can be extracted from the fruit of Jatropha crops which is non-edible but can be put to use for a variety of purposes, from sustainable chemistry to energy generation and biofuel. A series of evaluations of the feasibility of promoting Jatropha energy crops, especially on marginal farm lands in the Mediterranean region, was carried out by the JatroMed Project with the participation of Italy through CREA-ING. Five years of experiments have led to the identification of the most suitable mechanization system for the harvest of these crops, optimizing yields and safeguarding the work performed by farmers

Technological progress in forestry mechanization over the past decade had led to a significant increase in the competitiveness of timber brought down from mountain woodlands, typical in Italy, compared to users in the flatlands and hilly areas of North Europe. The development of innovative worksites with techniques and highly efficient machinery now ensure interesting margins for lower the cost of timber, optimizing the safety of workers and limiting the impact on woodlands to a minimum. This is the challenge of the SLOPE Project financed by the European Union with an authentic technical-scientific contribution provided by Italian partners

The Paris World Conference on the climate emergency involving 196 countries is about to open. The reduction of greenhouse gases is a fundamental objective not only to preserve the balance of the ecosystem but also to contain the phenomena of immigration, related to the deterioration of environmental conditions in the various regions of the planet, which are expected to reach a huge scale

Published in October, the "European Bioenergy Outlook" report produced by AEBIOM is a guideline instrument for proper strategic planning. The study shows clearly that from 2000 to 2013 the production of primary energy, fell by 16%. In the same period the contribution of renewable energy sources has doubled, going from 97 to 192 Mtoe, of which 2/3 are attributable to bioenergy. This trend demonstrates the significant potential of RES that today stand as the main local resources

A conference at the FAO on the topic of "Mobilization of woody biomass for energy and industrial use" offered an update on the technologies and projects for energy uses of crop residues and dedicated plantations. The progress of the key projects in Europe was presented

A conference at the FAO on the topic of "Mobilization of woody biomass for energy and industrial use" offered an update on the technologies and projects for energy uses of crop residues and dedicated plantations. The progress of the key projects in Europe was presented

All the premises are in place in Italy for substantially reducing imports of natural gas of fossil origin. The production of bio-methane from organic solid wastes of agricultural and integrated crop origins is promising opportunities for curbing climate changing emissions, creating new jobs and fostering growth and innovation in agriculture and industry

For years European Union policy has been orienting Member States towards the progressive decarbonization of the economy and finally now the results are becoming evident in many production sectors. Italy, not without difficulty and contradictions, has achieved a patrimony of experience which can launch new forms for the market nationally as well as abroad

There is increasing talk of informed consumers, who with their choices and expectations can contribute significantly to a global project for sustainable development. To achieve this it is necessary to disseminate adequately the knowledge gained, which does not always reach civil society at large because of the complexity of scientific, technical and juridical language. The recent decree for the development of biomethane could be in this sense a first testing ground