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ALTERNATIVE ENERGY: INNOVATIONS MADE IN ITALY
Rome - (Ign) - Thermal solar systems, solar photovoltaic panels, wind dynamos. These are just a few of the products that Italian companies are currently producing and assembling in plants destined for the exploitation of renewable energy. A sector that today, in Italy, is based above all on the development of three types of resources (both for private as well as for businesses): wind energy, solar energy and hydroelectric energy. The first two together represent 11% of the renewable energy produced in the country, while hydroelectric energy reaches 73%. Growth trends also indicate that during the last decade there was a 23.9 % increase in wind energy produced (green or biomass energy are in second position, with an approximate 8% increase). In 2004, the total power produced by wind power plants installed in Italy surpassed 1.200 MW. Italian companies produce advanced systems for wind energy: the use of increasingly powerful wind dynamos allows them to satisfy of all kinds of users, while the use of variable pitch propellers has offset the problem of optimizing results independently of wind conditions. A solution to the problem of low altitudes (the velocity of the wind is directly proportional to height and propellers placed in a too low position do not always function at best) was found by using the finest materials to optimise the processes involved. Therefore, even producing the equivalent amount of power, the number of propeller rotations per minute was brought from 120 to 25, with a net improvement on the environmental impact.
As for solar energy, (a market in which Italy ranks 15th according to data from the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation, with 6.2 kilowatt/hour supplied per one thousand inhabitants), Italian companies have specialised in the development of plants which produce two types of energy: photo voltaic cell panels and thermal solar systems. Both require the installation of solar cell panels in silicon, but the output process is what diversifies the production plant: the first produces energy directly, while the second warms the water or the environment, with considerable economic savings. The latest designed models allow for a combination of use with old traditional systems (gas stoves or flue gas heaters). Control methods were studied to connect the power units to other environmental energy networks so that, in case of malfunctioning, only the software needs repairing. The range of products is wide: light poles with solar cell panels, completely autonomous solar systems (for isolated locations, that allow for the accumulation of energy even on non sunny days), and installations connected to the electrical network.
Furthermore, "family solutions" exist (solar cell panels, tanks, and trellis supports), for the countryside (glass houses and solar driers) and for tourist locations (excellent solutions for hotels, swimming pools, bed and breakfasts).
Finally, the hydroelectric sector, supplying energy to many efficient, modern businesses using the most technological innovations in this field; it is different in the method that accompanies the purchase, that is characterised by a constant contact with the client who may require any type of information: from the best arrangement of the machinery according to the external environment, to the weather conditions. Among the most advanced productions, micro and medium sized plants based on the steady flow hydraulic increase, plants that store the exceeding energy thanks to special electronic regulators, and plants operating with irrigation systems. Considering that to provide the best functioning of a hydroelectric plant many environmental variables must be calculated- such as, for example, the range of the course to be exploited - many companies not only supply the client with the necessary machinery, but help them with the plant installation and set up, in order to obtain the maximum possible energy for that location.
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