LCA-ENERGREENS – LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT, RENEWABLE ENERGIES AND RATIONAL AND EFFICIENT ENERGY MANAGEMENT

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Description and objectives
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The Section has been conducting international research on energy issues for many years. Over the years it has acquired a consolidated international scientific experience in various fields of physical chemistry, especially for environmental applications, with skills ranging from molecular spectroscopy, to computational chemistry to environmental impact analysis.

Thermodynamics plays a fundamental role in sustainability analysis. In this context the group has developed skills in energy, exergetic and emergence analysis methods and in the LCA process and product analysis.
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Areas of interest

• Development of thermodynamic models for the efficient and rational use of energy in territorial energy planning, analysis of complex systems (natural resources), plans for energy saving and the development of renewable sources;
• Evaluation of different scenarios for energy planning at different territorial scales to improve environmental quality;
• Energy, exergetic and emergence indicators of sustainability and LCA analysis in the use of natural and energy resources:
• Competence on energy efficiency and the Rebound Effect;
• Design and synthesis of new organic sensitizers for the production of non-conventional DSSC photovoltaic cells;
• LCA analysis. Thermodynamic analysis, mass flow and LCA of transport systems;
• LCA of various energetic processes (FV, geo, biomass, wind) and of product (colorants for DSSC, various materials);
• Analysis of an energy efficient agro-industrial system for the environmentally friendly production of renewable materials and energy and for the recovery of the territory;
• Analysis of the development of electric and thermal energy production from a low and high enthalpy geothermal source;
• Waste and Energy: LCA evaluation;
• Innovative self-cleaning and flame-retardant textile materials for work-wear applications;
• Characterization of protein radicals in catalytic sites formed because of long-distance transfer mechanisms in oxidative enzymes. Biotechnological applications of enzymatic systems: synthesis, degradation and immobilization on nanofibers;
• Production and characterization of photoactive materials.
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Composition of the Section
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Coordinator:

Components:

• Rebecca Pogni, Associate professor, rebecca.pogni@unisi.it
• Maria Camilla Baratto, Researcher, mariacamilla.baratto@unisi.it
• Adalgisa Sinicropi, Researcher, adalgisa.sinicropi@unisi.it
• Maria Laura Parisi, Research grant holder, parisi11@unisi.it
• Elena Busi, Graduate technician, elena.busi@unisi.it
• Sabina Jez, Graduate technician, sabina.jez@unisi.it
• Simone Maranghi, Research grant holder, simone.maranghi@unisi.it
• Maher Al Khatib, Research doctorate student, maher.alkhatib@student.unisi.it
• Sanaz Mohammadpou, Research doctorate student, sanaz.mohammadpou@student.unisi.it

International scientific collaborators:

• Rafael Vazquez Duhalt, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
• Christopher Allen, School of Biol. Sciences, Queen’s Univ. Belfast, Northern Irland
• Angel T. Martinez, Centro de Investigatione Biologica, Consejo Sup. Invest. Cient., Spain
• Anna Wilkolaska, Dept. of Biochemistry, Maria Curie Sklodovska Univ., Poland
• Brenda Valderrama, Biotechnology Institute, UNAM – Cuernavaca
• Marcela Ayala Aceves, Departamento de Ingeniería Celular y Biocatálisis, Instituto de Biotechnologia, UNAM
• Wolfgang Lubitz, Biophysical Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, Germany
• Friedhelm Lendzian, Max Volmer Lab. Biophys. Chem., Technical University Berlin, Germany
• Dimitri Svistunenko, Director, Biomedical EPR Facility, University of Essex, UK

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Activities

• Research projects:
  • FESSUD UE – Financialization, economy, society and sustainable development (FP7), 2010-2016;
  • EASYWASH – Innovative self-cleaning textile maintainable through simplified industrial washing cycle for work-wear applications (Italian Ministry for Economic Development), 2011-2014;
  • High energy efficiency agro-industrial System for eco-friendly production of renewable materials and energy for land recovery (MIUR – PON 2007-13);
  • MATURE – Mappaggio termico per l’uso razionale ed efficiente dell’energia nella Regione Toscana (EU/Tuscany Region), 2010-2012;
  • COMPARE – Assessment of the management of the most relevant waste cycles in Tuscany Region under technical, economics, energetic and environmental profile (EU/Region Tuscany), 2009;
  • FOTOSENSORG – Design, synthesis and applications of new organic sensitizers for non-conventional photovoltaic cells (Tuscany Region), 2010-2013;
  • Electric and thermal distributed Power Production Systems from geothermal sources at low enthalpy (Tuscany Region POR 2007-2013);
  • SMART GRIDS NAVICELLI – Gestione di un sistema energetico locale di produzione da fonte rinnovabile, integrata con sistemi di accumulo, orientata all’ottimizzazione tecnico-economica e alla fornitura di servizi di rete mediante sistemi “smart grids” (Tuscany Region), 2010-2012;
  • S.I.EN.A – progetto pilota per lo sviluppo integrato delle energie rinnovabili dal settore agricolo – Filiera pilota dell’olio vegetale tal quale (Fondazione MPS and Tuscany Region), 2008-2010;
  • S.I.EN.A – progetto pilota per lo sviluppo integrato delle energie rinnovabili dal settore agricolo – Filiera pilota del Biodiesel (ARSIA, MPS and Tuscany Region), 2007-2008;
  • Thermal solar plants for textile and Dairy sectors (MIUR), 2005-2006;
  • WEPA – Waste & Energy: Project of Assessment (Tuscany Region POR CReO 2007-2013);
  • SOPHIED – Novel Sustainable Bioprocesses for the European Colour Industries – (NMP2-CT2004-505899), 2004-2008;
  • BIODETEX – Biorimediazione enzimatica di coloranti dell’industria tessile (DOCUP OB.2 2000-2006, Misura 1.7), 2005;
  • MECHOS – Metodi innovativi in chimica industriale: uso di sistemi ossidativi bioinorganici per ridurre la pressione sull’ambiente dei reflui industriali (Region Tuscany POR OB.3), 2007-2008;
  • COST – Action P15, Advanced Paramagnetic Resonance Methods in Biophysics, COST-Domain Commitee: Materials, Physical and Nanosciences, 2005-2010;
  • PRIN2007 – Relazione struttura funzione di enzimi ossidativi per le biotrasformazioni (20072R7WWA), 2008-2010;
  • BISCOL – BIoprocessing for Sustainable production of COLoured textiles (ECO/09/256112/SI2.567273), 2010-2013;
  • PRIN2009 – Meccanismo catalitico e determinanti strutturali delle proprietà enzimatiche di ossidasi, perossidasi e ossigenasi utilizzabili nei processi biotecnologici e nel bio-risanamento (2009STNWX3), 2013-2015.
• Training and education;
• Provision of technical – scientific services;
• Development and technological demonstration;
• Organization of scientific and technological events.