Our plants

The key words of our plants
 

Our plants transform matter into clean energy. Energy that comes from waste, recovered and separated, or from renewable sources, such as solar energy and geothermal energy. It is here that we set in motion our vision of the circular economy: to produce energy capable of creating value, with a positive impact on the environment, people and the entire area. 

What are the key words to describe our plants and the energy they produce?

Altogether, there are 105 Hera Group energy production plants, for a total of 345.3 MW installed. Of these, 128.6 MW are from renewable sources (37.2% of the total).

• WASTE-TO-ENERGY PLANTS: there are nine waste-to-energy plants, with a total installed electrical power of 126.6 MW, thanks to which we produce electricity and thermal energy by burning waste. Eight of our waste-to-energy plants are dedicated to municipal waste, which produces energy considered 51% renewable (biodegradable share of treated waste). In four of these, thermal energy is also recovered: three are dedicated to the supply of district heating networks in the vicinity (in Ferrara, Forlì and Granarolo dell 'Emilia) and one to the supply of the nearby wastewater treatment plant (in Modena).


• GEOTHERMAL WELLS: The Ferrara district heating plant is thermally supported by geothermal wells located in Casaglia for a potential of 14.0 MW, thanks to which heat is taken from underground: in this case geothermal energy is the priority source of the district heating system, to which is added the energy provided by the waste-to-energy plant and, finally, by traditional back-up boilers.


• ANAEROBIC DIGESTERS, BIODIGESTERS AND BIOGAS COGENERATORS: we own the anaerobic digestion plants in Sant'Agata Bolognese and Spilamberto dedicated to the production of biomethane (14.4 MW total) and the biodigesters in Cesena, Voltana di Lugo and Rimini Ca’ Baldacci, where there are biogas cogeneration plants for a total electrical power of 2.5 MW. Some biogas exploitation plants for electricity production are currently operational at 11 landfill sites, generating a total of 27.0 MW. As part of the integrated water system, 3.5 MW of electricity are installed in biogas cogeneration plants located at seven wastewater treatment plants managed by the Group (Bologna, Cesena, Forlì, Modena, Padua, Savignano sul Rubicone and Trieste). The electricity produced is typically self-consumed within the same sites.


• PHOTOVOLTAIC: photovoltaic systems are also installed at various sites, with a total power of about 5.1 MW. In this context, it is worth mentioning the installation of three 1.0 MW power plants in 2023: one at the depleted Galliera landfill in Bologna, another at the Biorg headquarters in Spilamberto, and the third at the Ducati Energia headquarters in Bologna (the latter, managed by HSE, was not yet operational as of 2023).


• TURBOEXPANDERS: in the gas distribution sector, Inrete Distribuzione Energia and AcegasApsAmga manage six turboexpanders generating approximately 8.4 MW of electrical power. They are located in Bologna, Ferrara, Forlì, Padua, and Ravenna and produce electricity through pressure reductions within suitable gas chambers, without emitting greenhouse gases directly.


• ENERGY PRODUCTION: we also manage plants that produce energy efficiently, including the Imola cogeneration plant (82.0 MW of electricity) and other smaller cogeneration and trigeneration plants (a further 61.7 MW of electricity in total) installed both at the service of some district heating networks and at industrial customers.

Page updated on 15 May 2024