POTENTIAL BIOMASS RESOURCES FOR ENERGY PRODUCTION IN SARDINIA (ITALY)

摘要

The aim of the present work is to study the energy production potential from forestry residues in thernSardinian region. The study uses data pertaining to the Forestry Agency of the Region of Sardinia and IstitutornNazionale di Statistica (ISTAT) data regarding the evaluation of agricultural and agroindustrial residues and proposesrnthe disaggregation of the quantity of biomass on a territorial basis, using the four historical Sardinian provinces as arnreference. Regional analysis of the woodland surface area, excluding the flat cultivated areas and the mountain slopesrncovered in shrub-like vegetation, shows a relatively homogeneous distribution. With regard to the evaluation ofrnagricultural and agroindustrial residues, a very thorough assessment has been performed leading to the identificationrnof an additional significant quantity of biomass. Evaluation of total biomass availability has identified a quantityrnequal to 179,000 tonnes of dry woodland timber per year and 163,000 tonnes of agriculture derived residues per year,rnmainly consisting of prunings and agroindustrial residues. The high productive pulverisation of biomass and therngenerally limited quantity allow evaluation of the feasibility regarding the creation of medium-capacity power plantsrnproducing energy from biomass with an overall total of approx. 50 MW, equal to approx. 1.5% of the electrical powerrnsupplied to Sardinia.