Ten municipalities in Trentino have joined forces to produce energy from water and wood.

Unity is strength. And it reduces waste. Even when it comes to energy , how to reduce dependence on gas and oil by focusing on renewables, and how to avoid touching consumer prices despite soaring inflation. The story of Acsm Primiero , one of the largest multi-utilities in Trentino-Alto Adige , is summed up in this idea: bringing municipalities together under the umbrella of sustainable energy supplies. So much for dependence on Russian gas!

MULTIUTILITY ACSM PRIMIERO

Acsm's first hydroelectric plant dates back to 1902, and since then the company has continued to grow along two lines, quite unique in Italy's thousand-churched regions. Joining forces, including the municipalities it serves, and focusing entirely on local sources—water and wood. In this way, ten municipalities in the Dolomites have joined forces , self-producing renewable energy from hydroelectric plants. There are 17 of them throughout the Primiero and Vanoi valleys, and they produce 450 million kilowatt-hours per year, more than ten times the local consumption in the area.

READ ALSO: Renewable energy, a German municipality powered only by wind, solar, and biogas

ENERGY FROM WOOD

Then there's the production of energy from wood , which fuels district heating plants (40 gigawatt-hours of thermal energy per year, covering half the area's population). In this case, the raw material comes from the forests that cover 60 percent of the territory, subject to very strict control by local municipal administrations. They prepare the "forest management" plan, which selects individual trees for felling to ensure forest regeneration and a balanced selection of partial and temporary logging. Water and wood: with these two resources, Acsm is able to serve the 18 residents of the Primiero and Vanoi valleys. With fixed rates, despite inflation and the war in Ukraine.

The project is a candidate for the 2022 Non Sprecare Award, in the Institutions section. To submit your projects, follow the instructions here.

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PROJECTS IMPLEMENTED THROUGH THE USE OF SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SOURCES:

• Energy Observer, the first catamaran powered by clean hydrogen energy
• Electricity from ocean waves: the Italian project and the Danish plant capable of powering 4.000 homes.
• The Zhero system for generating energy at home with salt batteries. Ideal for passive houses and for storing electricity from photovoltaic panels (photo)