There is finally a truly sustainable fuel. It is the biomethane produced from wastewater treatment by-products — a genuine example of circular economy.
When talking about circular economy, it is worth having a clear idea of what it actually means: a new model of development and business capable of giving every end a new beginning, without wasting resources. Every product or service is conceived starting from the transformation of something that has ceased to fulfil its purpose, in order to be "reborn" into a new life cycle. Like reincarnation. An emblematic example of this model was presented by Gruppo Cap, with the creation of the first, genuine zero-kilometre biomethane for motor vehicles, produced from the sludge and wastewater of the Milan metropolitan area.
Cap is the industrial group that manages the water service for more than 200 municipalities, serving around two million inhabitants of the Milan metropolitan area and a number of municipalities in the provinces of Monza e Brianza, Pavia, Varese and Como. The renewably produced biomethane was presented on Thursday 29 September alongside the new sustainability report, summarised in ten key words. The presentation, held at the LifeGate offices in Milan, was attended by several figures who demonstrated their commitment to the environment and their engagement in the fight against global warming within their respective fields. In addition to Alessandro Russo, president of Gruppo Cap, and host Stefano Corti, general director of LifeGate, those present included Sergio Andreis, director of the Kyoto Club, Sergio Silviotti, president of Fondazione Triulza, and Roberto Koch, photographer and publisher of the Contrasto agency.
The importance of this new form of biomethane was given voice by Valeria Albizzati, sustainable mobility manager of the automotive group Fca: "Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' (Fca) commitment to sustainability is non-negotiable — it is no coincidence that it has been included in the latest update of the Dow Jones sustainability index. Travelling in a methane-powered vehicle leads to cost savings of up to 60 per cent and a reduction in CO2 of up to 20 per cent compared to a petrol vehicle."
In Italy there are already more than 1,100 methane filling stations, and the number is set to grow, above all thanks to research into the production of biofuels. This is precisely the kind of project that emerged from an idea by Gruppo Cap, which involved the participation of the Cnr and Austep, the company that directly manages the technological facilities for industrial wastewater treatment and for the production of biomethane from agricultural products, agro-industrial by-products and organic waste. The treatment plants involved in the technological collaboration are five in number, of medium size — the one where the demonstration took place is the Niguarda-Bresso plant — and, once Italian law permits it, they will be capable of supplying a fleet equivalent to around 400 methane-powered Pandas each travelling 20,000 kilometres a year.
A promising start that gives life to the idea of a truly alternative fuel, produced on site and without extraction activities that impact the environment. An innovation that is now awaiting the necessary regulations to allow it to develop and reach the end consumer. One of the many cases in which legislators are lagging behind experimentation and research.
"The environmental impact of a vehicle powered by biomethane produced from urban wastewater," Albizzati adds, "is even lower than that of an electric vehicle whose energy still has to be produced somehow, often through non-renewable sources. This is why this biomethane is the perfect example of circular economy: it does not exploit resources, it uses no raw materials, and it puts back into circulation what is 'discarded'."
"Last year we became key players in the fight against global warming with the Cap 21 programme, even before leaders moved with international, large-scale policies" such as the Paris Agreement, states Alessandro Russo. "The circular economy is a fundamental tool for winning this challenge, which is why it is an honour for us to collaborate with one of the world's largest industries." But sustainability is not just biomethane. "The metropolitan city is trying to minimise water losses, which cause both economic and environmental damage," Russo continues. "The spirit of Cap 21 stems from a rethinking of how the company operates and what its objectives are, from paper consumption in the offices to the promotion of tap water in all the public places we serve. In addition to the sustainability report, this year we also wanted to present the environmental report, not as a section within the former, but as a standalone document."
The importance of water and of projects such as biomethane was also underlined by Koch: "The relationship between water and the environment is fundamental. And photography can play an important role in heightening the emotional perception of those who can do something, who can act." Water is a central element in the daily life of every citizen in the world, and a photographic reportage can "intervene constructively in documenting climate change" and raise awareness. Because "if it is fixed through an emotion, the memory becomes more lasting."
