Regional local development strategies benefiting from open data and open tools and an outlook on the renewable energy sources contribution

Abstract

The New Cohesion Policy opens to an integrated place-based approach for the improvement of territorial and social cohesion. The issue of territorial impact assessment of regional development policies highlight that data availability, open access to datasets in "near real-time", participation, knowledge sharing, and assumed importance within the planning process. In this paper we present an application of spatial analysis techniques for evaluation of territorial effects of EU funds starting from open data by ‘open-coesione’. The final scope is to have the opportunity to develop an assessment in the framework of a public debate. According to this issue we developed an empirical approach for context analysis using open-data assumed as a relevant source of information for the measurement of diffused concerns. The application regards an internal area of the Basilicata Region: the Agri Valley, a complex contest in which environmental and agricultural vocation conflicts with the recent development of oil extraction industries (the actual main territorial specialization). The research produced an integrated approach in order to highlight the energy development domain for Agri Valley. In a first stage the balance between fossil/traditional and renewable energies development should consider the traditional manufacts and practice in order to push on community identity and social commitment. This implies-for the planner-the requirement of managing social conflicts and promoting effective procurement in territorial management. The paper describes as a strategy of conflicts resolution an integrated project called an "Energy Museum". The "Conclusions" at the end of this chapter discusses further applications and perspectives for improving regional development planning, considering the exploitation of open data sources and spatial analysis in one hand and on the Renewable Energy Sources on the other.