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This paper aims at evaluating the best allocation of potential biomethane generation for the decarbonization of the transport system, presenting a case study in Italy. The country has some peculiar features, such as several operating biogas plants, additional potential feedstock for biogas/biomethane generation, a well-developed natural gas network and established relevant natural gas uses in different final sectors, including transport. Based on current estimates for sustainable biomethane potential by 2030, ranging from 2.3 to 7.6 billion cubic meters depending on the scenario, the analysis compares technologies for the generation, distribution and final use of biomethane. The results of the analysis confirm the potential interesting contribution of biomethane in decarbonizing the Italian transport system: a billion cubic meters of biomethane can lead to 2.33–4.37 Mt CO 2 e savings, depending on the feedstock mix and the application. On a national basis, annual climate emission savings in 2030 range from 10.0 to 26.7 Mt CO 2 e , depending on the scenario. Additional 3.1–8.1 Mt CO 2 of emissions can be avoided if the CO 2 captured during the biomethane upgrading can be stored or reused. The proposed methodology could be used to extend the analysis to other countries, and to the European context. • We analyze the climate emissions of biomethane for different supply chains. • We evaluate the effects of feedstock, distribution strategy and electricity mix. • The results confirm the important role of biomethane for transport decarbonization. • We discuss the best allocation in transport segments based on emissions savings. • We compare alternative biomethane scenarios for Italy in 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of renewable energy, including solar process heating, and of efficient energy conversion technologies, have been considered in the literature to improve the energy performance of cheese production. However, most of the studies considered one energy source at a time and hardly accounted for the carbon emission impact. In this paper, a mixed integer linear programming model is developed and applied to a reference cheese factory in Italy to identify the least cost mix of solar thermal energy, natural gas-based trigeneration and symbiotic waste heat recovery from nearby industries via district heating that allows to achieve assigned carbon emission reduction goals. The study reveals that fossil fuel based trigeneration is economically attractive, leading to savings in annual equivalent systems costs of approximately 18–20% over the baseline configuration, but does not contribute to decarbonization, generally causing a percentage increase of carbon emissions of approximately 30% from the baseline configuration. In addition, the combination of cogeneration and waste heat recovery from a remote source (300 m up to 1000 m far away from the user) may be more cost-efficient than solar heating to meet a 30% carbon emission reduction constraint for most combinations of electricity and natural gas prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyzes data about recharge of electric cars in Rome during 2013 as a part of a national research project (P.R.I.M.E.). The electric vehicles were recharged through the public Enel Distribuzione recharging infrastructure. For each recharge, the initial and final time were registered together with the electricity absorbed from the grid. The total number of recharges was about 7700. The first step of the investigation is the statistical analysis of the distribution of recharges in daily time slots in order to analyze the recharge behavior of Italian drivers. For each day and for each time slot, literature data from the Italian national grid operator (Terna) were used to retrieve the energy mix used to produce electricity in that day and in that time slot. In the third step, electricity generation mixes were used to obtain emission factors for greenhouse (CO 2 ) and pollutant emissions (CO, NO x , HC and particulate). Using information about the electric consumption of vehicles registered in Rome, the emission factors in g/km were obtained and compared with the limits set by European legislation for conventional (gasoline and diesel). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental concern in light of anthropogenic climate change is directly concerning the building sector as one of the major energy consumers and CO 2 producers. To reduce the environmental impact of new and refurbished buildings, one of the most promising policies is the widespread adoption of Building Energy Regulation Codes (BERC), since they have a direct impact on the everyday work of local planners, architects, engineers and building companies. This article will look at how BERCs were implemented in Italy, where Regions and municipalities have developed in recent years a number of local regulations trying to drive the market towards more energy efficient practices. This happened in a legislative vacuum because the Italian Government implemented the European Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings (2002/91/EC) only in 2005 and defined the related National Guidelines only in 2009. This article provides an overview on EPBD implementation in Europe and a Geocluster Italian distribution of BERCs in order to show their geographical distribution and their influence on the construction sector practices, focusing in particular on the region of Lombardy. Then the article describes the methodology followed for the definition of BERCs in nine municipalities in the same region. In conclusion, the paper presents the practical application of one of the nine BERCs to a NZEB residential case study as an example of what the EBPD recast define as nZEB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The paper presents one of the first Italian experiences assessing the effectiveness of sustainable production and consumption strategies. The authors developed an energy and environmental extended input–output model, combined with the life cycle assessment, to analyse the role of the building sector in the reduction of Italian energy consumption and CO2 emissions. In detail, the model allows to assess the energy and environmental benefits arising from the Italian tax deduction policy for energy retrofit actions of buildings. Moreover, the authors defined an original model to assess the indirect rebound effect caused by the energy retrofit actions. The outcomes of the research point out that the assessment of the benefits arising from a specific sustainable policy, strongly depends on: [-] the indirect energy consumed by industry to produce goods and services needed for the policy actuation; [-] the indirect energy saving, owing to the implemented policy, which in the examined case study has the same order of magnitude as the direct one; [-] the rebound effect, often neglected in the literature, which can partially avoid the obtained benefits. The model shows wide ranges of applicability to the European context, since it uses as input economic and energy data usually available at local and/or national level for many states in Europe. It may represent a useful tool to decision-makers in the selection of policies oriented to the reduction of energy and environmental impacts caused by final consumption. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• A new evidence-based methodology for carbon footprint of wastewater was validated. • Direct emission factors were obtained from onsite measurements. • Dissolved GHGs in the effluent were 0.2–24 mg/L for N2O and 0.1–1 mg/L for CH4. • Specific carbon footprint of WWTPs ranged from 0.04 to 0.20 tonCO2eq/PE/y. • The most impacting category was the dissolved GHGs to the water body (13–70%). In this paper, a new regional methodological approach for determining direct and indirect emissions from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is proposed. Additionally, an entire territorial wastewater treatment service located in the northern Italy and serving 411,484 PE was assessed. The most accurate emission factor identification is presented using appropriate on-site measurements, monitoring different aerated operational units and sampling several streams in 12 relevant WWTPs of different treatment capacities, ranging from 3000 to 73,000 PE. Dissolved greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations from 0.2 to 24 mgN 2 O/L, 0.1 to 1 mgCH 4 /L and 1.8 to 52 mgCO 2 /L in effluent flows were detected. Specific carbon footprints resulted in the emissions of 0.04–0.20 tonCO 2eq /PE/y, varying as per the size of the plants. The most impactful categories were identified for indirect emissions, associated with dissolved GHGs discharged in the surface water body and due to energy consumption, which accounted for 13–70% and 10–40%, respectively. The overall territorial carbon footprint of the wastewater treatment service was also quantified to provide evidence-based decision support system (DSS) and prepare systemic mitigation strategies. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The paper presents an energy and environmental extended input–output model combined with the life cycle assessment, applied to assess the energy and environmental benefits arising from the Italian policy of tax deduction for energy retrofit actions of buildings. The study allowed to assess the advantages due to the above policy, taking into account both direct and indirect energy saving and avoided CO2 emissions obtained with the retrofit actions and indirect energy consumption and related CO2 emissions due to the realization of the above actions. Moreover, the authors defined an original model to assess the indirect rebound effect caused by the energy saving actions. The obtained results showed that a reliable evaluation of the benefits arising from sustainable policies strongly depends on the indirect rate of the energy consumption and energy saving, that in the examined case study has the same order of magnitude of the direct one, and on the rebound effect, that can partially avoid the obtained benefits. The study represents one of the first Italian experiences aimed at assessing the effectiveness of sustainable production and consumption strategies. It can be used to support decision-makers in the selection of policies aimed at reducing energy and environmental impacts caused by final consumptions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The need to reduce CO2 emissions requires a great economical effort to optimize the processes and solve the main technical and economic problems which still limit a large-scale diffusion of this kind of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies. In this paper, the main results of a techno-economic comparison between ultra supercritical pulverized coal combustion (USC) and integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) plants are presented. The Sulcis coal basin, considered as a reference location for the plant configurations here analysed, could represent a very important site to test carbon capture and storage technologies, being representative of a lot of potential storage site in the world. For both USC and IGCC technologies, three different configurations have been compared: a configuration without CCS, a CO2-free configuration and an intermediate solution in which a demonstration CCS system is applied to only a portion of produced gas. The analysis here presented shows that USC technology is slightly more profitable than IGCC if a configuration without CCS is considered, whereas IGCC is more profitable than USC for a CO2-free configuration. Due to the high CCS costs and to the specificity of the site, the investment is not profitable if not supported by an adequate incentive. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, we report four years of soil CO2 emission data measured monthly at 130 sites in two peripheral areas of Mt Etna Volcano that are well known for their high discharge rates of volcanic gas. We remove the influence of atmospheric parameters, and by means of statistical analyses, we (i) demonstrate that variations in CO2 emissions are due mainly to CO2 of a deep origin and (ii) quantify the total amounts of CO2 derived from a deep magma source. Periods of anomalous deep degassing are identified in both areas. A comparison of the timing of these anomalies and geophysical data indicates that the periods of anomalous degassing can be mostly ascribed to intrusions of fresh magma into the Etna plumbing system, which is in agreement with many previous works. Based on the existing literature, we formulate an interpretative framework of magma migration within the plumbing system, consistent with temporal trends in the observed anomalies. Finally, we reconstruct the processes of recent magma ascent at Mt Etna based on our interpretative framework, published geophysical data, and records of volcanic activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]