A source of clean energy from sewers and wet waste: Biomethane null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null An investment of Euro 37 million. A plant that disposes of 100 thousand tonnes of organic waste produced by separate waste collection and another 35 thousand tonnes coming from green waste and pruning material. And that, once "digested", produce 7.5 million cubic meters of biomethane fuel that is 100% renewable and 20 thousand tonnes of compost. Impianto Biometano foto 1 Impianto Biometano foto 2 Impianto Biometano foto 3 Impianto Biometano foto 4 Impianto Biometano foto 5 Impianto Biometano foto 6 Impianto Biometano foto 7 Impianto Biometano foto 8 Impianto Biometano foto 9 Impianto Biometano foto 10 Impianto Biometano foto 11 Impianto Biometano foto 12 Impianto Biometano foto 13 Impianto Biometano foto 14 Impianto Biometano foto 15 null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null HERA-impianto-biometano_032__DSC9813.jpg These numbers tell the success story of our state-of-the-art plant in Sant'Agata Bolognese, just outside Bologna: the latest great and ambitious project to add to our long list of waste treatment facilities (89 in total, including waste-to-energy plants, composters, and sorting plants). With one big goal: to relaunch the challenge of renewables on an industrial scale and make this plant a reference structure for green energy in Europe. Biomethane: a clean resource of biological origin But what makes this natural gas source organic? Simply, the way to get it: not by drilling for hidden deposits in the deepest parts of the Earth but by fermenting organic waste in plants designed to do so. Biomethane can, therefore, be produced for as long as you want, it is endless, and production can be increased simply by building other plants. Making the process one of the purest examples of the circular economy. In Spilamberto, a biodigester converted into a biomethane plant An innovative plant for the production of biomethane came into operation in October 2023 in Spilamberto, in the Modena area. It was created by NewCo Biorg, the result of the partnership between the Hera Group and the Inalca company (Cremonini Group), thanks to a total investment of approximately 28 million euros and the use of the best available technologies. Starting from the separate collection of organic waste and agri-food wastewater, the plant - created from the conversion of an old biodigester - produces 3.7 million cubic meters of biomethane every year when fully operational, a 100% renewable fuel intended for transport, and approximately 18 thousand tons of compost. A cutting-edge plant for the energy transition and the circular economy The 100% renewable natural gas is produced in the plant from the anaerobic digestion of organic waste coming from the separate collection carried out mainly in Modena and its district, from the waste resulting from the manufacturing process of the local agri-food industry and from the production process of Inalca's meat. Once refined, it becomes biomethane and can be introduced into the gas network. The environmental benefits are important: around 7 thousand tonnes of CO₂ are avoided Thanks to the introduction of biomethane into the network and its use in transport, significant environmental benefits are estimated: every year the use of approximately 3 thousand tonnes of fossil fuel oil equivalent (TOE) will be saved and CO₂ emissions will be avoided for approximately 7 thousand tons. To absorb such a quantity of CO₂, an average of 280 thousand trees would be needed. What happens in our sant’agata facility Organic waste, obtained through separate waste collection, is processed by anaerobic digestion to produce biogas. How? The waste, shredded and screened, remains for about 21 days in 4 horizontal digesters, where suitable microorganisms carry out the digestion process to produce biogas (consisting of natural gas and carbon dioxide). Then the biogas is upgraded using pressurized water to dissolve the carbon dioxide and separate the natural gas. The result is biomethane, a gas with a methane content of over 95% and a completely renewable energy source. But that's not all. At the end of the digestion process, wood-cellulosic material is added to the resulting solid matter to obtain a compact mass that is sent to composting, to produce quality compost, which can be used as potting soil for vases or as a fertiliser in agriculture. Come find out more about our Sant'Agata Bolognese plant. Biomethane is, therefore, another revolution based on the circular economy, which all of us in the Hera Group want to pursue. Again, to create shared value, as Herambiente's CEO, Andrea Ramonda, is determined to emphasize: “The direction we have taken addresses the industrial world as increasingly oriented towards creating shared value and partnerships. We are aware that sustainable waste management, focused on the recovery of waste and compliant with the rules, is an essential factor in today's world, and one that delivers benefits to the entire community). The idea of the exhibition came from the photographic project commissioned in 2018 to Silvia Camporesi on the occasion of the work being done on the Sant'Agata Bolognese site. The report has been enriched with other shots, thus becoming the complete story of the development of the plant. The exhibition consists of 11 large-format photographic works which reveal where and how waste takes another form and becomes biofuel. Technology, innovation, industrial process, efficiency, circularity are the messages underlying each of the images captured by the artist. Silvia Camporesi visited the plant every month for a whole year, documenting the evolution and changes to the facility. 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Dialogue with the urban context for new energy: the Borgo Panigale cogeneration plant When going by the roundabout between Via Prati di Caprara and Via Vittorio Sabena in the Reno di Borgo Panigale neighbourhood in Bologna, it seems like you are passing next to a gigantic colourful radiator. It has the appearance of a modern work of art, but instead it is the Hera Group’s new cogeneration plant. This plant has changed the face of the entire neighbourhood since it was inaugurated in October 2017. Its characteristic element is the elliptical structure covering the stack of the plant. It consists of 576 plates of colourful porcelain stoneware arranged on multiple overlapping rings that create a combination of colours and light with the nuances typical of the city of Bologna: brick red, ochre yellow, tuff yellow, dark brown and rust. brgopanigale.jpg Hera’s undertaking for an efficient district heating system The Cogen plant, which stands in Via Paolo Nanni Costa, is not only Hera’s jewel from the architectural viewpoint - perfectly integrated with the new urban context of the neighbourhood - but is also the Group’s pride and joy from the production viewpoint. Entirely designed and built by Heratech, the engineering essence of the Hera Group, the plant produces energy in cogeneration, meaning both electricity and hot water necessary for the district heating network. Built thanks to an investment topping Euro 17 million, the plant heats the equivalent of 8000 housing units and currently the turbines produce up to 35,000 Mwh of energy a year, almost double that of the past. District heating is already in itself a “sustainable” and eco-friendly supply because it is able to guarantee greater efficiency than the traditional household boilers. What’s more is that the plant guarantees less atmospheric emissions, greater reliability and a higher availability of energy with 90% efficiency. What does all of this mean in terms of benefits for the environment? It is like planting 25,000 new trees every year. Or stopping the flow of traffic of 8000 vehicles during the same period. Technology, efficiency, reutilisation of the land The use of advanced technology and energy efficiency are therefore the cornerstones of this work, in line with Hera’s mission for sustainable development. But that’s not all. The new Cogen district heating plant made a remarkable impact also in terms of land reutilisation. Built on the site of the thermoelectric plant in operation since the 1990s, the Cogen plant allowed the plant in Via Segantini to be shut down and today only one plant is able to cover the same requirement guaranteed by the two of the past. (is it advisable to say that?) Yes, I think so This is an enormous goal that Hera has met, which sets upgrading existing facilities one of its primary objectives. If the percentage of land reutilisation was 77% in the Group Sustainability Report closed in 2019, the development of the network works and of plants presently in progress and included in the 2020-2023 Industrial Plan will allow 73% of reutilised land to be guaranteed. (data updated to 2019). The undertaking of the Hera Group for energy efficiency The Borgo Panigale Cogen plant is part of the 343 interventions forming the plans for improvement of Hera, Inrete, AcegasApsAmga and Marche Multiservizi at year-end 2019, and that will allow consumption to be cut by 13,740 Tep (-5.9% energy consumption compared to 2013), passing the target set for 2020 by -5%. (data updated to 2019). The Bologna Cogen plant in figures: 8,000 housing units served 35,000 Mwh energy produced each year Euro 17 million invested District Heating Our plants no null null

PSBO: the gentle giant that protects the sea of Rimini Keeping the sea clean and ensuring that it is safe to swim in is a complex undertaking, but it's not impossible. Proof of this is the Rimini Optimised Seawater Protection Plan (Piano di Salvaguardia della Balneazione Ottimizzato - PSBO) Plan, the largest water reclamation project underway in Italy, which we worked on together with the Rimini Municipality and Romagna Acque. A construction site, indeed 14 of them, which are changing the face of a city that, for over 60 years, has been the backdrop for the holidays of millions of tourists, both Italian and foreign. With an investment of Euro 154 million, the project will ensure that swimming will be safe along the entire Rimini coastline, eliminating sewage from all 11 discharges into the sea. Restoring a clean, healthy, and transparent sea for Rimini and the whole local area is an essential step to promote and give a new outlook to the entire community. Indeed, the sea is not only a precious resource that drives the economy: it is the site of our identity. psbo.jpg Kennedy Square, where it all begins The massive work of the PSBO, the gentle giant that protects the sea, all begins under Piazzale Kennedy. In the event of a storm, in fact, the treatment plant cannot withstand the large volume of both sewage and rainwater it receives. In order not to damage the plant and to prevent flooding, the water is discharged into the sea without treatment. The operation causes ban on swimming, thus impacting the environment, public health, and the economy of the area. The PSBO avoids this situation thanks to two tanks as large as 20 Olympic-size pools, located 40 meters below ground. The first tank, with a capacity of 14 thousand cubic metres, collects the water from the first flush of rain, while the second one, with a capacity of 25 thousand cubic metres, is designed for "buffering", i.e. reducing the rainwater drainage sent into the sea. A forced ventilation mechanism, which sends the air sucked in from the tanks to a treatment system based on activated carbon technology, permanently solves the problem of bad odours. With their modern architecture integrated into the city context, the new waterfront terraces in Piazzale Kennedy will "hide" this complex structure. One already opened to the public in July 2019, and the other will be completed by summer 2020. The Santa Giustina wastewater treatment plant, the "heart" of the PSBO Once the water is collected in the tanks, its real journey begins under Piazzale Kennedy: perhaps the most important of the PSBO's activities. The buffering tank, in fact, is connected to a runoff pumping system that can pump 18,000 litres per second or convey it to the Santa Giustina treatment plant. This is the heart of the gentle giant of Rimini, who transforms the water to make it, as famous song says, "blue and clear". Enhanced with a series of measures that have doubled its capacity, the treatment plant is now able to treat all the wastewater, i.e. from domestic and industrial sewage, from the local area of Rimini and the state of San Marino, and serving 560 thousand inhabitants during the summer season. After separating the water from sand and oil, and eliminating the sewage using denitrifying bacteria (organisms that feed on the substances in the sewage), the treatment plant makes the wastewater transparent and clean thanks to microfiltration membranes, a cutting-edge technology that captures microscopic particles such as viruses and bacteria. The main construction sites of the PSBO Let's go through the history of this ambitious project together. The doubling of the Santa Giustina treatment plant started in 2013 and finished in 2015, was the real kick-off of the PSBO project. Its activity, which is the heart of the entire plant, is also closely linked to the conversion of the Marecchiese treatment plant, to buffer the flow rates to Santa Giustina. Another important milestone was achieved in 2014: the beginning of the remodelling of Rimini's sewerage system, which involved the rehabilitation of Rimini Isola, followed by the separation of the sewerage networks of Rimini Nord. The latter, completed in 2020, was a fundamental step for the entire project. It directly involved the residents of the area, who were called upon to connect their discharge to the new sewage water pipes correctly. At the same time, in 2015 we completed the work on the North Backbone, the link between the Santa Giustina and Bellaria treatment plants, and in 2018 the excavation (using microtunneling) of the South Backbone: thanks to the "mole" boring machine, we laid pipelines under natural slopes, or major roads in towns, without requiring extensive excavations. Further measures, such as the Ausa sewage collector, the Mavone floodway channel, and the sewer pumping station in Via Santa Chiara, have significantly reduced the risk of flooding in most areas of the town where this problem frequently occurs. In addition, with the Ausa Canal project, which artificially covers the canal, we have enhanced the water flow rate in the final stretch from the waterfront to the sea when the spillway channels are opened, creating a pleasant path between the waterfront and Piazzale Kennedy that makes even the nearby swimming facilities more attractive. The results we have achieved To date, more than 5 thousand square meters of coastline have been "freed" from swimming bans, and the construction work is now 90% completed. Thanks to sieving and storage treatments, we have also managed to recover over 20 thousand cubic metres of sand to replenish the beaches along the coast: this operation, which we could describe as a real "feeding" of the beaches by adding new sand, makes it possible to counteract the erosion of the coast, abiding by the principles of the circular economy. These achievements, along with all other planned interventions, have led the PSBO to be mentioned in the UN report "SDG Industry Matrix: Energy, Natural Resources & Chemicals" (2017) as a best practice linked to the sustainable development objectives of the UN’s 2030 Global Agenda. Heratech no

The Imola cogeneration plant: state-of-the-art technology for the local area What do the Town Hall and the Municipal Library of Imola have in common, but also the theatres, the old and the new hospital, the Alberghetti Technical Institute, and the municipal swimming pool? They are all connected to the district heating network served by the Imola Cogeneration Plant, the pride and joy of the Hera Group. An extremely cutting-edge project that in 2019 celebrated the tenth anniversary of its foundation, confirming it is one of the most innovative and efficient plants in Italy. centrale cogenerazione cogen (1).jpg Let's take a step back. What is cogeneration? It is the combined production of multiple forms of secondary energy, such as electricity or heat, within a single integrated system powered by a single primary energy source, which can be fossil or renewable. This process can save around 40% of energy compared to the production of electricity and heat separately in conventional power plants. The Imola cogeneration plant, housed on a site of over 5 thousand m2, is perfectly integrated into its surrounding landscape. It is powered by natural gas and has an electrical power of 80 MWe, almost enough to satisfy the Imola area's entire annual electricity demand. With a thermal capacity of 65 MWt, it can support both the current peak loads required by the district heating network and the basic thermal load expected with future connections. Moreover, since it can operate "as an island", the power station can continue to supply electricity to almost all the users connected to the Italian grid even in the event of a power blackout, making Imola and its district perfectly self-sufficient. In 2019, the Imola cogeneration plant produced 257,900 MWh of electricity and 118,785 MWh of thermal energy. The plant provides high performance from both the production and the environmental points of view, combining low levels of atmospheric emissions with significant energy savings. We have achieved many goals in recent years, but we are not going to stop: in 2020, in fact, we are working to reduce the power plant's water consumption further.