Geothermal Energy Production in Italy: An LCA Approach for Environmental Performance Optimization

Abstract

Geothermal energy is a resource of natural and renewable energy and its exploitation in the Italian Tuscany Region contributes significantly to the regional share of electricity generation from renewable sources, with a value that has grown to about 35% in 2015. The energy produced by geothermal source, such as that produced by other energy sources, generates non-negligible impacts on the environment, closely related to the site-specificity of the source itself. This preliminary study analyzes the operational phase of seven geothermal plants located in the three main Tuscan geothermal areas, with a specific focus on the impacts generated by emissions into the atmosphere. The aim is the assessment of the geothermal power plants environmental performances in relation to the geomorphological characteristics of the sites and the technologies used to exploit the resource.