Abruzzo Regional Energy Agency

Presentation

ARAEN is the operational tool of the Region. It is a special structure of the Region, that has been created through the European SAVE II Project with approval granted by the European Commission with contract nr. ENER/4.1031/A/99-006. ARAEN plays a role in the support of the implementation and preparation of regional energy policies and acts as an interlocutor for the actors of the regional energy system and for all citizens. It operates as a non profit entity, established in the Abruzzo Region in Italy.

Objectives and Mission

The activities assigned to ARAEN are primarily linked to the improvement of energy demand management through the promotion of energy efficiency, the best use of local and renewable resources, the optimization of production costs and the support to research aimed at exploiting optimal conditions. 

Its objectives are to:

• Increase energy need management through the promotion of energy efficiency;
• Support a better and more rational use of local and renewable energy sources in order to optimise the latter in view of their utilization also in private and public construction;
• Optimise production costs;
• Support the research of the best methods for exploiting the energy needs in the region;
• Manage the regional functions in the field of energy.

All agency actions are always performed in a way to preserve the environment and to control atmospheric pollution.

In detail ARAEN will:

• Support the improvement of the life conditions in mountain areas also through the creation of a biomass market and other sources of renewable energy which will give the possibility of additional income to the local population (mainly farmers);
• Support the adoption the best technology available in order to save energy both in the public administration and private consumers;
• Support research activities in the field of energy;
• Support the economical development strategy of the region through the use of a proper energy management;
• Support the improvement of the local conditions by increasing the use of biomass, hydroelectric power plants and the natural gas produced in the region;
• Support the reduction the cost of energy supply;
• Raise public opinion awareness towards a more responsible use of energy;
• Foster the development of renewable energy that have a low impact on the environment;
• Carry out tasks given by the regional directorate.

Areas of Intervention:

AREAN work at improving the environment, controlling air pollution, mitigating and adapting to climate change and sustainable development in line with national and international objectives and strategies. ARAEN is responsible for supporting regional energy policies related to the development of the use of energy sources.

In the field of renewable energy sources:

• Solar thermal;
• Solar photovoltaic;
• Biomass;
• Wind;
• Minidraulica;
• Geothermal.

In the field of conventional energy sources:

• increase the use of energy sources with low environmental impact such as electricity in locomotion, use of methane and LPG both as fuel and as fuel;
• spreading cogeneration in the industrial, residential and service sectors;
• to verify and test, for the purposes of wider application, the new technologies aimed at the use of energy sources with lower environmental impact.

The Agencyp articipated to the work of the Italian Hydrogen task Force, and was coordinator  for the national action in relation with the use of natural gas in municipalities with a high risk of pollution.

Its objectives are also pursued and achieved through a close collaboration and continuous dialogue with national and European networks such as Renael (National Network of Local Energy Agencies), and AER (Assembly European of the Regions), as well as global networks such as Under2coalition. It concluded an agreement with EDENS for the creation of an Wind Power centre for energy technologies (CETE). It is also part of ATER, working in the field of social housing through an agreement for the use of renewable energies. The agency is in close relation with the Ministry of Environment, and agreed on the use and valorisation of biomass. It

ARAEN Issued nr.2 calls for public funding related to RES: PV and Solar thermal. It was involved in the Preparation and submission to the EU Commission of the highvalley project (FP6 – Concerto) within the Highville initiative of Norsk Hydro. It developed a regulation for the installation of wind power plants in the Abruzzo Region

AREAN is looking towards the future, through a particular involved regarding the question of Hydrogen. As of February 2003, the ARAEN has initiated an activity in the field of hydrogen as an energy vector.  The latter, thanks to our initial participation in the HYNET, Hyville, Hydrogen and fuel cells meeting and invitation to the Italian FISR (Special Research Program) Project. They are active partners in the Italian Fuel Cell Task Force.  Its projects analyze experimental integrated systems for the generation and distributed use of hydrogen produced with renewable energy and with a negative emission of CO2. In addition ARAEN aims at an ambitious project for the integration of Hydrogen with renewable energies and energy efficiency measures as a solution for the sustainable development of a river basin (Treste).