A revolution rooted in the circular economy: thanks to separate waste collection, organic waste is fed into an anaerobic digestion process to produce biogas.
Biomethane: a clean resource of biological origin
So, what makes this source of methane “bio”? Quite simply, it’s how it is produced: not by drilling into deep underground deposits, but by fermenting organic waste in dedicated facilities. Biomethane can be produced continuously, it is inexhaustible, and production can be increased simply by building more plants. This makes it one of the clearest examples of a circular economy.
In Spilamberto, a biodigester converted into a biomethane plant
An innovative plant for the production of biomethane is in operation in Spilamberto, in the province of Modena. It was developed by the NewCo Biorg, a joint venture between the Hera Group and Inalca (Cremonini Group), through a total investment of around €28 million and the use of the best available technologies.
Starting from separately collected organic waste and agri-food effluents, the plant – the result of converting an old biodigester – produces, at full capacity, 3.7 million cubic metres of biomethane per year, a 100% renewable fuel intended for transport, and around 18,000 tonnes of compost.
A cutting-edge plant for the energy transition and the circular economy
The 100% renewable natural gas is produced through anaerobic digestion of organic waste from separate collection carried out mainly in Modena and the province, along with waste from local agri-food processing and meat production by Inalca. Once refined, it becomes biomethane and can be fed into the gas network.
Significant environmental benefits: around 7,000 tonnes of CO₂ avoided
Thanks to the injection of biomethane into the network and its use in transport, significant environmental benefits are expected. Every year, around 3,000 tonnes of oil equivalent (TOE) in fossil fuels are saved, and approximately 7,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions are avoided. Absorbing such an amount of CO₂ would require, on average, 280,000 trees.
What happens in our plant in Sant'Agata
Organic waste, collected through separate waste collection, undergoes anaerobic digestion to produce biogas. This is how the process works: the waste is shredded and screened, then remains for about 21 days in four horizontal digesters, where suitable microorganisms carry out the digestion process and produce biogas (composed of methane and carbon dioxide). After this, the biogas undergoes an upgrading, or purification, phase using pressurised water: the carbon dioxide dissolves and separates from the methane. The result is biomethane, a gas with a methane content above 95%, and a completely renewable source of energy. Not only that: at the end of the digestion process, lignocellulosic material is added to the outgoing solid fraction, producing a compact mass that then undergoes composting to create high-quality compost, which can be used as potting soil or agricultural fertiliser.
Biomethane is therefore another revolution rooted in the circular economy, one that we at Hera Group are committed to advancing. We do all this with the goal of creating shared value, as Andrea Ramonda, CEO of Herambiente, emphasises: “The direction we have taken looks towards the industrial sector with an increasing focus to creating shared value and partnerships. We are aware that sustainable waste management, focused on recovery and in full compliance with regulations, is essential in today’s world and generates benefits for the entire community.”
Working together for a circular city
At Hera Group, we have joined forces with Bologna Airport and Tper to launch a circular economy project that contributes to decarbonising urban mobility and improving air quality.
What does this partnership involve? The Airport delivers its organic waste to Hera, which collects it at the Sant'Agata Bolognese plant together with similar waste produced by citizens and transforms it into biomethane that Tper purchases to feed the fuel tanks of a significant part of its bus fleet.
This is an important step forward for our Group and for two major organisations in our area, which, like us, serve hundreds of thousands of people. We share a commitment to improvement and sustainability, in line with the UN 2030 Agenda.
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Hera begins a study to strengthen the resilience of the sewer systems serving the municipalities of the province of Ravenna
The Hera Group has been entrusted with completing the surveys and the digital modelling of the urban sewer and drainage systems serving the municipalities across the province of Ravenna.
Climate change is creating stress conditions on urban drainage systems that far exceed the design thresholds for which these infrastructures were originally conceived and built. This also strongly affects the surface water drainage networks that interact with the sewer systems, increasing the complexity of the analyses required.
It is therefore essential to accurately assess the current operating limits of the sewer networks and to define the most effective measures to optimise performance and reduce the risk of floods during extreme weather events in urban areas.
The study, developed by Hera, involves completing the survey, measurement, modelling and simulation activities for the sewer systems of all the municipalities in the province of Ravenna — an area which was severely affected by the Emilia-Romagna floods of May 2023. The project is based on a collaboration agreement with the municipalities involved and will require contributions from several organisations, which will pool all relevant data in their possession to calibrate a reliable digital hydraulic model. This model will make it possible to prepare a structured plan to improve urban drainage networks.
Once both missing and available data have been collected, Hera will develop a digital model to simulate the behaviour of the sewer system under actual or designed rainfall events, identify critical points and propose measures with their corresponding priority levels.
“The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding is a tangible example of how the resilience of local communities depends on sharing knowledge, cooperating and relying on the expertise of leading professionals”, said Alessandro Baroncini, Networks Group Manager at Hera.
The technologies and expertise deployed, combined with the availability of data provided by the participating entities, will make it possible to develop a reliable digital hydraulic model. The project will also provide valuable insights for the competent authorities to plan measures to reduce the risk of floods, supporting systemic actions for the development of the necessary works.