Geographical Information Systems for Biomass Estimate and the Search for Renewable Energy Sources

In this paper the attention is drawn on GIS as a support for energy choices for a sustainable development. Given the growing pressures for respecting the environment on one side and on limited non-renewable energy sources, mainly oil-based, on the other side, there is the need to evaluate different alternative sources for integrating those already available and to foster energy saving. Among the renewable energy sources available, this paper is focused on biomasses and particularly on those originating from cattle and swine breeding. We present here an example of localization and quantification of energy potential deriving from animal breeding in Friuli Venezia Giulia Region (North Eastern Italy), focusing on cattle and swine ones, from the analysis of local units and animals registered at municipality level. In this stage of the research the GIS environment is used to analyse statistical data at municipality level and for computing the theoretical output in energetic terms, hypothesising different scenarios.