Planning the Flows of Residual Biomass Produced by Wineries for the Preservation of the Rural Landscape

Abstract

Circular economy aims to create a system that allows an optimal reuse of products and materials. According to an appropriate planning hierarchy, agricultural and agro-food co-products, by-products and wastes should be primarily employed to re-balance soil fertility, and afterwards valorized as new secondary raw materials used in the same agricultural sector or in different industrial chains (e.g., cosmetics, nutraceuticals, etc.). Finally, only at the end of this process, they could be conveyed to energy production through co-generation. In this paper, different residues generated by the wine production chain have been considered with reference to the Basilicata region (Southern Italy). These biomasses have been quantitatively assessed and qualitatively classified, in order to find the most rational and convenient solution for their valorization from a technical, economic and environmental point of view. From the spatial analysis—elaborated by implementing a Geographic Information System—some thematic maps have been obtained, which allow us to highlight the areas with the highest concentration of residues. In this way, focusing the analysis on these areas, some possible strategies for their management and valorization have been proposed, so as to restore soil fertility and contribute to the sustainable preservation of the rural landscape.

GIScience and Historical Cartography for Evaluating Land Use Changes and Resulting Effects on Carbon Balance

“…Among the most important environmental consequences induced by land-use change from man is the loss of fertility [6], the modification of the surrounding rural landscape [7,8], and variation in atmospheric carbon dioxide [9]. The greatest loss in carbon storage per hectare results from the conversion of forests to cropland.…”

Circular Bio-economy—Paradigm for the Future: Systematic Review of Scientific Journal Publications from 2015 to 2021

“…Chinese researchers [116] have estimated the potential of reducing the GHG footprint of whiskey production by producing biogas in-plant and netting in revenues from the sale of surplus electricity, through dark hydrogen fermentation and anaerobic digestion of the wastes generated. Still on alcohol, winery wastes-leaves, stems, pomace, marc and vinasse-can be subjected to advanced biorefinery processes to yield a variety of biochemicals [186,187] and, in addition to providing economic and environmental benefits, will also contribute to preserving the aesthetic appeal of the rural landscapes in wine-producing regions [188]. In another instance of looking beyond animal feed, Herrmann et al (2019Herrmann et al ( , 2020 [189,262] have written about the alternate uses the enzymes-phytases-can be put to-food processing and environmental resource management wherein it can be used to release organically bound phosphorus (bound as phytate) and improve plant availability and uptake.…”

Integrating Remote-Sensed and Historical Geodata to Assess Interactions Between Rural Buildings and Agroforestry Land

“…The second case study (Case VUL) represents another situation typical of these marginal mountain areas but which, thanks to specific morphological, pedological and microclimatic conditions, have had a different agricultural history (Manniello et al, 2020). Currently, the process of land abandonment is slower than in other territorial contexts.…”