On January 17, 2024, together with 90 other participants, CAAB attended Clust-ER Greentech’s first meeting of the year. The meeting was held at Iren Group in Reggio Emilia, which is the headquarters of one of the partners, and this meeting included a visit to one of the largest biodigesters in the region.
The biodigester plant is called FORSU, which stands for organic fraction of municipal solid waste, and it treats both the organic fraction and green vegetal fraction. It has an authorized capacity of 167,000 tons per year and produces 9,000,000 m3 of biomethane and 53,000 tons of compost annually. The solid urban waste is transformed into biomethane, a form of renewable natural gas; quality compost, to be used in agriculture and as a soil fertilizer; and food grade CO2, which can be used for industrial and food products. Biomethane is an upgrade of biogas and nearly a pure source of methane, which eliminates CO2 and other contaminants, so it can be used for direct electricity consumption.
CAAB operates one of the most modern food waste management systems, which includes the valorization of organic waste, and repurpose, to co-generate electricity. Recently, in 2023, CAAB was awarded 10-milion in funding under Italy’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), and one of the upcoming projects will be to construct a biodigester that will convert the fruit and vegetable market’s organic waste into renewable energy, compost, and bioplastic to contribute to the circular economy. This new production of biomethane will be another way that CAAB is working towards full energy autonomy, using the electricity produced to power its own facilities and the fruit and vegetable market.
CAAB Spa and CAAB Advisory are members of Cluster-ER Greentech. Clust-ER Greentech brings together 117 members including companies, research centers and training institutions from Emilia-Romagna and beyond. This consortium was devised to stimulate collaboration and open innovation between the fields of energy and sustainable development for the region, including supporting the development for renewable energy sources, promoting the mitigation of climate change, promoting process innovation through circular economy practices, promoting conservation of ecosystems and biodiversity, and more. Learn more here.