The Imola cogeneration plant: state-of-the-art technology for the local area

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The Imola cogeneration plant: state-of-the-art technology for the local area

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From organic waste to biomethane, a circular revolution

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.

Biomethane - Herambiente

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The Imola cogeneration plant: state-of-the-art technology for the local area

Thanks to Imola's cogeneration plant, which produces electricity and heat from a single source, the city and its district are completely self-sufficient in case of blackouts. Find out more about one of the most advanced plants in Italy.

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.

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.