(Finance) – The Te3C projectdeveloped by Aeneas with the contribution of Utilitaliaaims to enhance the energy savings and the reduction of emissions deriving from the use of secondary materials compared to primary ones, through mechanisms similar to energy efficiency securities and carbon credits. Presented today in Rome, the project is the result of over two years of study And he involved numerous companies associated with Utilitalia for the collection and analysis of data.
The investigation has compared the consumption of energy and CO2 emissions between virgin and recycled materialsshowing that the use of secondary subjects allows significant saving for the same product. The analysis follows an approach “from the cradle to the market”, considering the origin of the resources: for raw materials the extraction from the biosphere, for the secondary ones the collection and recovery from waste. The project underlines the importance of guaranteeing constant use of recycled materials To encourage a real circular economy, supported by adequate tools to recognize its environmental value.
In support of the initiative, it was Developed an online database which collects data on energy consumption and CO2 emissions linked to primary and secondary materials, allowing to calculate savings and generate certificates of Teec and 3C values.
The study analyzed over 40 recycling chains, highlighting significant energy savings: for the cardboard 0.25 tons of oil equivalent per ton of recycled matter (Tep/T), for the 0.58 Tep/T glass, for the PET 1.11 Tep/you for the 2,86 Tep/T steel. These data demonstrate the concrete contribution of the circular economy to the reduction of energy consumption and climbing emissions.
“In addition to the fundamental theme ofcircular economy – explains the President of Utilitalia, Filippo Brandolini – Recycling can also offer an important contribution on the decarbonisation front and therefore of the energy transition. The decarbonisation, in the framework of the actions for the environmental transition, is one of the pillars of the European Union policy. Much has been done in the energy sector but little or no attention so far has been given to what the circular economy can contribute to it. This study lays the foundations to encourage the use of secondary subjects to replace the raw materials, through a mechanism similar to that currently existing for the market of energy efficiency and carbon credits. It also allows to encourage the use of secondary materials in production processes, promoting correct functioning of the recycling supply chains. And finally, it can guarantee a greater resilience of the Italian system compared to the supply of raw materials in general and critical and strategic subjects in particular “.
“The circular economy plays a fundamental role for reach climatic neutralitybecause it transforms the way we produce, consume and manage the materials by minimizing CO2 emissions and optimizing the use of resources “, comments Claudia Brunori, director of the Enea Sustainability, circularity and adaptation to the climate change of production and territorial systems. “Enea – continues – is at the forefront to accelerate this transition, developing concrete technologies and solutions such as the software developed with Utilitalia, capable of quantifying and enhancing the energy savings and the reduction of climbing emissions deriving from the use of recycled materials instead of virgin ones”.