Developments in Bioelectricity and Perspectives in Italy: An Analysis of Regional Production Patterns

Abstract

Bioenergy is being increasingly used worldwide to generate energy from biogas, biomethane, and other biofuels, bringing significant environmental and economic benefits. In Italy, biogas can significantly contribute to the achievement of the renewable energy targets set at the national and European levels. The exploitation of this energy source in a particular area is determined by its environmental and anthropic properties, as well as by the incentive system and the political will of decision makers. This paper analyzes the socioeconomic drivers and natural conditions triggering bioelectricity production in Italian regions. The analysis proposed here was performed in two steps—first, by identifying groups of similar regions for some natural, social, and economic variables, and then by modeling the historical trajectory of bioelectricity production for each identified group with innovation diffusion models. As a general finding, regions pertaining to the same group in terms of natural and socioeconomic conditions revealed a similar production pattern for bioelectricity, as confirmed by the results of diffusion modeling. On the basis of the diffusion modeling procedure, some scenario simulations were performed, which suggested the set-up of suitable policy actions for each group of regions.

Modeling Energy Transition in US Commercial Real Estate: A Diffusion Comparison with the Industrial Sector

“…In the literature, diffusion models have been extremely valuable for defining and forecasting the development of an energy source, considering it as a technology that must be accepted in a market [19]. This well-established area of study [19][20][21][22][23] allows for analysis of the temporal dynamics of energy sources in order to comprehend the intricate dynamics of energy systems. Understanding how products or technologies compete or collaborate is essential for describing the trend of diffusion processes.…”