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Machines, developments in the bioenergy supply chains

The area dedicated to technologies for the energy use of agricultural and forest biomass was one of the most interesting in the 2018 edition of EIMA International. There was a full schedule of conferences and workshops promoted by Itabia, the association that coordinates the activities of the "Energy" exhibition

by the editorial staff
December 2018 | Back

The EIMA five-day event closed with a very positive balance for the “Energy” exhibition, dedicated to bioenergy supply chains and to technologies for the use of agricultural, forestry and agro-industrial residues for energy purposes.When it comes to biomass - explains a statement from ITABIA, the Italian Biomass Association that is organizing the “Energy” exhibition together with FederUnacoma - refers to a multitude of quantitatively huge and qualitatively diverse resources, for which many applications can be found in the most varied production segments (textile, pharmaceutical, agronomy, construction, etc.).Chemistry based on resources from biomass - explains Itabia - is one of those areas in which our country is a leader in a highly technological scenario.Important private investments have already been made, also for important conversion projects in biorefineries of industrial sites affected by the crisis, which today are excellences in the production of biobased products. We are talking about a turnover of around 260 billion euros and over 1.7 million direct and indirect employees. With this in mind, Itabia organized several workshops in Bologna examining the issues of the circular bioeconomy. In particular, thanks to the Project created in collaboration with the National Rural Network, the CREA Policies and bioeconomy and the Bionet Green Chemistry Association, the workshops covered the opportunities that technical means deriving from a “green” eco-friendly chemistry - based on the extraction of active molecules that nature makes available to us - can offer the fruit and vegetable supply chain from the field to the innovative packaging and the reuse of the waste of the supply chain. To remain in foreign markets - the meetings between experts revealed - it is necessary to quickly direct fruit and vegetable productions to these new models, combining the quality of Made in Italy food with the sustainability of production and marketing models. The value of biomass is not limited to the energetic aspect, but it grows exponentially when you can use fibres, molecules and active ingredients that nature makes available to us. In this context, food and industrial crops will be able to feed these markets using technologies and machinery now widely available on the market thanks to the fundamental role of Italian research in the sector. It was from these premises that the European ENABLING project was coordinated by FederUnacoma and Itabia, involving 16 partners from 13 European countries and aimed at stimulating the promising bioproducts market, facilitating contact between the agricultural sector (biomass producer) and the industrial one (processor).


Bioenergy, the activities of the Enagri project are in the spotlight

The enhancement of bioenergy with a focus on the activities of the Enagri project is among the prominent topics at EIMA International. Promoted by Enama (National Agricultural Engineering Organization), in collaboration with Crea (Council for research in agriculture and the analysis of the agrarian economy) and with the contribution of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry and Turistical Policies (Mipaaft), Enagri is a programme for the promotion, development, research, innovation and improvement of the energy efficiency of the national agro-energy supply chains. Many informational meetings were scheduled during the exhibition, dedicated to presenting the project, starting with the conference entitled “The exploitation of biomethane in the agricultural sector: developments and prospects”. The initiative, which was attended by insiders and stakeholders, was a moment of discussion on the prospects for the use of agricultural biomethane and, in particular, on the best practices of production. The calendar of events promoted by Enama within the Enagri project also included meetings on the topics “Energy efficiency of the agricultural tractor” and “Energy efficiency in the agricultural and agro-industrial system”, and it closed with the meeting entitled “Solid biomass: state of the art and opportunities for companies”. The meeting allowed the insiders to take stock of the solid biofuel market for the production of thermal energy, the consumption of biomass in Italy and the opportunities offered by the “cascading” exploitation of wood biomasses.

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