Objective
The actions addressed to the project's objectives have been started according to a cohesive approach between all the proposers. Accordingly, the project's partnership has agreed to focus on some key preliminary objectives as those represented by the drawing up of a general model of a sustainable agriculture and by the organization of an education and training program, tailored on specific courses for students, operators, public and private decision-makers, users and SME's. Both these objectives have been facing through a co-operative process mainly carried on by ENEA together with CERISDI and the University of Palermo. An investigation has been undertaken in order to collect data for providing an overview on the environmental policy, technology, social-economical factors, local and natural energy resource according to the present renewable energy policy in the agricultural and rural areas of southern mediterranean countries. However, the University of Palermo has provided to start up the technical procedures for organizing an activity aimed at disseminating the EU policies on the renewables which includes workshops, courses and booklets.
ENEA together with the private partners Geoproduction Consultants S.A. and the Gizeta Technica S.A. have started the actions for organizing a number of technical meetings in Italy, Spain, France, Romania and Macedonia mainly focused on the issue which refers to the direct uses of geothermal energy and the solar thermal heating as local heat resources in place of traditional ones for plant crop processes such are: greenhouse heating, drying systems, rural space heating, hot irrigation. Finally, work is in progress in order to provide a CD-ROM's to be used as educational and practical tool for managing natural energies for agricultural applications and the realization of a specific INTERNET site to promote sustainable energies in agriculture.
WORK PROGRAMME
Within the framework of its main tasks to achieve the project's objectives, the co-ordinator ENEA has carried out a number of meetings with all partners in order to define the responsibilities, the procedures, the roles and a co-operative network between all the participants. However, the project has been carrying on a number of actions as reported in the following.
A first scientific meeting devoted to the potential application of the natural energies in agriculture was organized in Palermo on 18-19 November, 2001 hosted by the partner Cerisdi which has seen the participation of students, potential users, investors, researchers and public bodies. The scientific programme included an opening lecture by the co-ordinator ENEA on the present EC policy on renewables and sustainable technologies according to funds, objectives and results at local, national and European level. The other presentations were given by the project partners (University of Palermo, Cerisdi, Geoproduction Consultants and GiZeta Technica) and experts from Italy, France, Germany and from the International Summary School on Geothermal Energy, and taken into consideration the main aspects relating to the utilization of thermal and photovoltaic solar energy, biomass and geothermal energy options in agricultural and rural areas.
According to the project's activity, a workshop hosted by the University of Palermo took place on 17-18 December 2001. The one day workshop was addressed to the renewable energy and sustainable technologies in agriculture and brought together growers, authorities, SME and researchers. Special enphasis was devoted to the thermal solar and photovoltaic applications. Both the proceedings are in preparation together with a specific CD-ROM and they will be made available by the project.
Finally, the the University of Palermo and the CERISDI are being developing a five days-european training course on renewable energies for agricultural and rural areas which will be held on May 12-17, and has planned a workshop on the second week of June which will be hosted by ENEA in its research centre so-called "Trisaia", located near the town of Matera in the southern area of Italy.
EXPECTED RESULTS:
It is expected that by the project's utilities (electronic networks between participants, the ENEA Internet node, the Internet sites of partners) the participants will have direct access to knowledge already available at research centres and teaching institutions in the EU countries. In addition, it should be outlined that the results and products have a strategic importance from an economic point of view because in the long-period the project realization shall allow the following achievements:
-to enhance the co-operation and exchanges between experts, operators and investors, by establishing a network for technological exchange, commercial activity, technical assistance and dissemination of the results within the regions of CEC, NIS (New Independent States), European and northern Mediterranean countries of Africa, South America and Far East countries (China, India);
-to open a great chance for the formulation of recommendations for developing futures economical co-operation and R&D activities, both suitable for rural areas of EU, CEC and NSI in Europe, South America countries, African Mediterranean countries, Far and Middle east countries;
-to play a significant role in overcoming the present information figure of developing sustainable agricultural processes and defining of a "common technology" to enable unification and standardization of equipment and materials in order to allow an industrial and commercial approach to the problematic of natural energy application in agriculture;
-to offer opportunity to private investors and SME's to promote their products and know-how at various levels, including local commercial companies and growers who need to develop their raw material base and/or produce for local markets.
Programme(s)
Topic(s)
Data not availableCall for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
CSC - Cost-sharing contractsCoordinator
00060 Rome
Italy