Biomass production in hilly areas of central Italy

The agricultural sector can provide an important contribution to reduce the fossil fuels consumption and GHG emissions through agroenergetic production from dedicated energy crops and biomass residuals. To evaluate these topics, a research project was started in 2006 with the contribution of Tuscany Region administration. The aim was to promote a short supply chain in hilly areas of central Italy (Tuscany), furthering the local energetic biomass production and the reduction of transport cost. In particular, this paper describes a study about potential local production of energetic biomass from two traditional crops suitable to bio fuel production. The considered crops were maize (Zea mays L.) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus. L.) used respectively to bioethanol and biodiesel production. This study was conducted in Sinalunga rural district (Siena - Italy). The evaluations were carried out taking into account the impacts of climate and meteorological variability through the application of simulation models of growth and production. The results were discussed to evaluate the variation in energetic biomass potential production in relation to the climate change and global warmmg scenarios. © 2008, Page Press Publications.