In the Alpine Region (AR) there is a need to support a better use of local resources and an increase of energy self-sufficiency while reducing impacts on climate and the environment (EUSALP, AG9). Biomass is a local and affordable RES and its combustion avoids fossil CO₂atmospheric emissions.

For these reasons biomass use is strategic in the AR. Nevertheless, Biomass Burning (BB) leads to consistent particulate matter (PM) emissions, often unknown to population and local administrators. Actually, PM has an impact on natural ecosystems, on human health but even on climate change considering Black Carbon concentrations contained in PM emitted from BB. The main project objective is thus the development of transnational policies for a sustainable use of biomass for domestic heating (aligned to the Alpine Space SO2.1) to minimize the above cited impacts and improve a smart use of this resource in the AR. The project will focus on innovative open-source and interactive approaches for the awareness raising of citizens and local administrators about the critical aspects linked to BB and on the definition of strategic technological, economical and regulative tools to reduce the impact of BB in the Alpine valleys. The impact of the application of selected policies (following a participated search for potential solutions even involving citizens) will be evaluated through modelling activities. Innovative sustainable business models will ensure long term success of the defined solutions. The development of shared policy-relevant documents will favour the application of harmonized regulations for a sustainable use of biomass in the AR.

Foreseeing the integrated collaboration of partners from 5 Countries of the AR and a large network of observers the project will drive an important behavioural, technological, environmental and regulative change in this Region but even at EU level since no common regulations at EU level actually exist for small scale biomass appliances.

Project Partners

• Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
• ARPA Valle d’Aosta (Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione dell’Ambiente della Valle d’Aosta)
• Communauté de communes Pays du Mont-Blanc
• Atmo Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
• Zavod Energetska agencija za Savinjsko, Šaleško in Koroško
• e-Zavod
• FH JOANNEUM Gesellschaft mbH
• econcept –Agency for Sustainable Design