No new environmental authorizations are required for biomethane plants of livestock farms that comply with certain requirements
The president of Coldiretti, Ettore Prandinicommented positively on the development program that the Councilor for the Environment of the Lombardy Region, Giorgio Maionehas reserved for biogas plants in the process of being converted into biomethane, which in Lombardy represent a third of the Italian total, ensuring the appropriate clarifications on the correct classification of off-gas emissions resulting from the upgrading process.
«This – explains Prandini – is an extraordinary opportunity for regional agricultural infrastructures which, thanks to the technical results which demonstrate the negligible nature of the emission levels, can quickly proceed with the conversion from biogas to biomethane through the upgrading plant without further authorization loads and bureaucratic.”
Over 1,500 biogas plants in operation
Over time, the Italian biogas sector has demonstrated significant responsiveness to policies supporting the development of the production of renewable sources, contributing to the construction of more than 1,500 plants for an installed power of more than 1200 MW with a very high production coefficient (at least 80% of the annual hours) allowing investments equal to approximately 4 billion euros.
The livestock sector provides a significant contribution in the field of innovation and the production of renewable energy, through biogas and biomethane plants. Furthermore, thanks to the biogas plants, the agro-livestock company completes its production cycle by valorising company waste and fully implementing the principles of the bioeconomy
No new environmental authorizations are required for biomethane plants if the stables comply with certain requirements
«The interventions connected to the creation of a plant for the production of biomethane, if it is located within a zootechnical installation subject to The Hague and does not foresee an increase in the number of animals raised beyond the established thresholds, it will not be subject to new environmental authorizations, without prejudice to the need for any site-specific assessments by of the competent authorities”. This is the interpretation given by the Lombardy Region regarding a request received from the Province of Cremona.
«It is a clarification that the agricultural sector has been asking for for a long time. While waiting for a specific national law, the Lombardy Region has decided to anticipate and clarify the legislation. Environmental sustainability is also pursued in this way” he declared Mayon.
I am numerous plants are in the planning and construction phase in the regional territory aimed at converting the biogas produced by the anaerobic digestion of organic matrix (mostly livestock effluents) into biomethane intended to be injected into the network like natural gas (or fossil methane).
