Alessandro Marucci

Study of sustainability of renewable energy sources through GIS analysis techniques

In an integrated vision of the problems concerning energy policies, the use of renewable energy sources should assume a significant role. The 2009/28/EC Directive of the European Parliament and Council has indicated ambitious energy and climate change objectives for 2020: greenhouse gas emissions reduction for 20%, renewable energy increase for 20%, improvement in energy efficiency for 20% [1]. The aim of this paper is to present a GIS based methodology able to support decision-making in energy supply from Renewable Energy Sources (RES). To decide what type of renewable energy font is the best choice for a specific territory, its important to know the local energetic situation, exploring the potential renewable energy sources available in that specific area, deciding what is the more territory compatible/sustainable among them, and if its exploitable by suitable environmental and economic point of view. The methodology is largely directed towards the development of a tool to support siting decision.

Remote sensing and GIS in planning photovoltaic potential of urban areas

Abstract The last guidelines approved by Italian government to financially support the solar Photovoltaic (PV) Energy production development include specific indications for more advantageously funding installations exploiting roofs/covers surfaces mainly located in urban or industrial areas. Since the 3D heterogeneity, albedo, atmospheric turbidity and casting shadows significantly influence here the local solar irradiance, the implemented methodology allowed us to suitably account for these distributed factors by means active (LIDAR) and passive satellite/airborne remote sensing techniques and advanced GIS modelling tools in order to support more realistic estimates of PV potential at roofs level in urban areas.

A GIS Based Methodology in Renewable Energy Sources Sustainability

The exploitation of renewable energy sources has assumed a significant role, especially in an integrated vision of problems concerning energy policies, The 2009/28/EC Directive of the European Parliament and Council has indicated ambitious energy and climate change objectives for 2020 (according to the so-called “EU2020 Strategy†): greenhouse gas emissions reduction for 20%, renewable energy increase for 20%, improvement in energy efficiency for 20%. The aim of this paper is to present a GIS based methodology able to support decision-making in energy supply from Renewable Energy Sources (RES), focusing on two specific case-studies: Photovoltaic (PV) and Wind energy. To decide what type of renewable energy font is the best choice for a specific territory, its important to know the local energetic situation, exploring the potential renewable energy sources available in that specific area, deciding what is the territory more compatible/sustainable among them, and if its exploitable by suitable environmental and economic point of view. The methodology is largely directed towards the development of a tool to support siting decision.

The Italian Apennines between earthquakes, high naturalness and urban growth

This paper sets out the results of a study conducted in the inland areas in central Italy on certain phenomena that, for decades, have evolved separately: urban and socio-economic growth, environmental and cultural conservation and the curbing of seismic risk. The study was carried out by analysing the urban conversion of land in the Italian Apennines over the past 50 years, focusing on areas of varying seismic hazard. Our analysis highlights that territorial planning has failed to tackle this risk in an integrated manner, implementing entirely uncoordinated actions that have produced poor results. Thus, our main goal is to study urban development and its effects on the Apennine system and devise possible strategies to mitigate the seismic risk in this area of significant worth, but made extremely vulnerable by policies and solutions that have never been “nature-based”.

Spatial Methods to Measure Natura 2000 Sites Insularization in Italy

It is interesting to notice how Nature 2000 is described as an instrument of “widespread ecological network throughout the EU territories”, insisting in a definitional imprecision that has been dragging on for more than twenty years, and that was often, also authoritatively, criticized by many. Undoubtedly, many of these elements constitute the focal point of local ecological networks for species conservation importance, but their functionality depends on equally undoubtedly by the presence of ecologically permeable matrices that enable the biotic flows dynamics. The Italian Regions are the subjects of this study, as an expression of homogeneous forms of territorial government and as a reference on the administrative level for the implementation of Community policies for Nature 2000 network. The method followed in the work refers to an evaluate spatial fragmentation conditions methodology and the SCIs are the evaluated patches, which have a high dispersion on the national territory. This research has been conducted to show how the central issue of habitat and species conservation is still currently the fragmentation provoked by mobility infrastructures and urban growth.

L’emergenza post-sisma a L’Aquila, enfasi di una pianificazione debole

L’estrema disgregazione del tessuto insediativo aquilano rilevata dopo il sisma del 2009 e stata spesso imputata ad una deregulation dettata dall’emergenza. Tuttavia, analizzando gli strumenti che avrebbero dovuto governare l’assetto del territorio dagli anni ’50 ad oggi e i loro esiti, emerge che la configurazione urbana degli ultimi anni e l’estrema conseguenza di una pianificazione debole. Il presente lavoro si prefigge di verificare tale tesi col supporto di indici e dati analitici.

Geomatics to Support the Environmental Impact Assessment in Renewable Energy Plants Installation

Projections to 2020 indicate that renewable energy sources (RES) could cover, from 20 to 30 percent of the world’s energy needs. To implement an effective e-governance in this direction, it is necessary to implement new methodologies to support decision-making in the local energy planning. The environmental impact is one of the main concern existing at different levels, in addition to the growing soil consumption in Europe. A significant problem for some types of plants, mainly solar and wind power, is the interaction of the devices with the surrounding environment, with possible negative effects in terms of visual impact and soil consumption. It is, therefore, very important to define which weight can have different impacts and to consider all possible scenarios.