The paper summarizes a project for an experimental energy system to be
developed as a strategic measure to enhance global competitiveness of the
Industrial Development Area (ASI) of Aragona - Favara in Agrigento Province.
The aim of the project is to achieve a self-sufficient system (“Energy Island”) fed
only with bio-oil from local crops.
Planned duration of the experiment is four years, and the final goal is to
establish new and profitable enterprises taking advantage from a cost-effective
and sustainable energy supply chain: planned activities, in fact, involve farming
and oil production ventures as well as the energy intensive food industries
already settled in the area. Industrial-scale benefits will be achieved by expanding
experimental plants, in line with the original concept, once satisfactory
profitability has been demonstrated on small scale.
Strategic principles of the project, in particular the “short supply chain”
concept, are illustrated first. The Industrial Development Area of Aragona-
Favara is then examined as to its energy demand, which should be met by
renewable energy. The supply side is subsequently analyzed, focusing on how a
short supply chain for oleaginous crops (sunflower and rapeseed) could be
structured by appointing some set-aside agricultural areas to industrial crops.
Incentives and national legislation on renewable energy are presented to outline
market opportunities for energy and for produced biofuel once the experimental
phase is concluded.
Technical details of the project are then given, with process description
and an account of how the experimental plants have been sized, deriving
energy and mass flow balances and estimating avoided GHG emissions within
the experimental timeframe. Agronomic and energy conversion activities
related to construction and operation of the experimental systems are illustrated
and future developments and strategic implications are outlined.
The project has been conceived by the CIFRA - Interdepartment Center
for Environmental Research and Education of Udine University - on behalf and
with the cooperation of the Unione Industriali - Agrigento.
