Potenzial and exploitation of national forests for the production of energy in cogeneration: technologies and development of a business case

The energy issue, together with the environmental issue, are most likely to represent the fields of study that better than any other combine technological development and inter-generational needs. The past decades have shown that protecting and preserving our resources is necessary but not sufficient to embark on a path of economic growth. If the goal is to further economic recovery and progress while avoiding to succumb to environmental decline, then our "Mission", over the next few years, must focus on exploiting those renewable energy sources which, not only bear no impact on the environment, but are also often available for free. Today the biomass sector appears as one of the most promising to be eligible as the energy source "of passage" between the fossil fuels-based current economy and the future. Biomass is renewable, available anywhere is needed, and also often considered as waste; biomass plants produce electricity 24/7 just as conventional power stations, but also present the advantage of being widespread, meaning considerable savings on shipping cost. Last but not least, for the large part it also produces thermal energy through cogeneration.