Os membros Tesla estão hoje reunidos em Bruxelas para reporte da situação actual do projecto e preparação para a sua conclusão.
O PROJECTO
O TESLA (acrónimo em inglês para Transferindo a Poupança Energética para a Agro-indústria) pretende reduzir custos energéticos nas cooperativas agro-industriais europeias, através da promoção de boas práticas de eficiência energética. A parceria inclui 110 Cooperativas portuguesas, espanholas, francesas e italianas com Universidades, Centros Tecnológicos e de Investigação.
Em Portugal foram realizadas auditorias energéticas a 20 cooperativas agro-industriais, incluindo adegas, lagares de azeite, fábricas de rações e centrais de frutas e hortícolas.
Estas auditorias permitiram identificar as medidas de implementação mais eficientes, com vista a obter poupanças energéticas e económicas.
A CONFAGRI é a coordenadora em Portugal do TESLA, tendo já disseminado os resultados preliminares em eventos prévios. Verificou-se uma assistência participada e interessada nestas questões da eficiência energética, não só para a agro-indústria, como também para as explorações agrícolas e habitações próprias. Relevante foi o exemplo contado na primeira pessoa pelo Eng.º José Teixeira da Cooperativa de Távora, auditada pelo TESLA e que identificou a pertinência das medidas identificadas no âmbito do projecto. O relatório da auditoria TESLA permitiu reorientar os investimentos da adega e da central horto-frutícola, com foco ao nível da eficiência energética.
Mais de 130 pessoas e 60 entidades estiveram presentes nos eventos TESLA anteriores que a CONFAGRI promoveu.
Garanta a sua inscrição. Mais informações: maria.jose@confagri.pt; T. 218118022; www.teslaproject.org
A CONFAGRI promoveu a disseminação dos principais resultados do evento TESLA em mais dois eventos este mês, um realizado em Ovar, na Ovarural, a 13 de agosto e outro em Penafiel, na Agrivale, a 24 de agosto. Em ambos, houve uma assistência participada e interessada nestas questões da eficiência energética, não só para a agro-indústria, como também para as explorações agrícolas e habitações próprias. Um tema que a CONFAGRI dissemina, elogiada pela Vereadora de Penafiel, Dra. Susana, como parte da sua visão de futuro.
Entre os oradores, estiveram fornecedores de equipamentos da iluminação (AuraLight), dos sistemas de gestão de energia, variadores de velocidades e baterias de condensadores (Schneider Electric) e de oportunidades em energia solar (BoaEnergia), que estabeleceram contacto com as cooperativas associadas do TESLA e demais cooperativas que solicitaram esclarecimentos adicionais, manifestando o seu interesse em investir na implementação de medidas de eficiência energética.
Uma intervenção muito relevante foi também a trazida pelo exemplo da Cooperativa de Távora, através do Eng.º José Teixeira, cooperativa auditada pelo TESLA e que identificou a pertinência das medidas identificadas no âmbito do projecto. O relatório da auditoria TESLA permitiu reorientar os investimentos da adega e da central horto-frutícola, com foco ao nível da eficiência energética.
Mais de 130 pessoas e 60 entidades estiveram presentes nos eventos TESLA que a CONFAGRI promoveu. O último será em Vila Real, em Outubro. Mais informações: catia.rosas@confagri.pt
|
|
|
|
Expositor na Ovarural com as publicações TESLA |
Audiência na Ovarural |
|
|
|
|
Mesa com oradores |
Eng.ª Antónia Figueiredo, CONFAGRI |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Painel de oradores e funcionários CONFAGRI na Ovarural |
|
A CONFAGRI está a organizar um evento com vista à poupança de energia na agro-indústria, a realizar na Universidade de Évora, no pólo da Mitra, no dia 25 de Junho, às 14:15 horas.
Venha conhecer os casos de sucesso, bem como possíveis soluções tecnológicas e apoios em eficiência energética para a agro-indústria.
A Participação é gratuita mas sujeita a inscrição para balcaoverde@confagri.pt
Questo evento seminariale, organizzato assieme alla Legacoop Toscana e alla Coop.va DREAm, nostra partner nel progetto, ha avuto lo scopo di presentare alla platea innanzitutto il Progetto e alcuni dei risultati degli audit energetici, con un focus particolare proprio sulle realtà toscane, nonché le possibilità di investimento che si potranno aprire per le aziende agricole con l'approvazione del nuovo PSR Toscana 2014-2020. Si auspica quindi che le imprese presenti durante la giornata seminariale possano aver tratto ottimi spunti per il prossimo futuro, e che possano avvalersi degli strumenti messi a disposizione per migliorare la loro efficienza energetica.
This meeting, organized together with Legacoop Toscana and Coop Dream, our partner in the project, was aimed to present to the audience first of all the Project and some of the results of energy audits, with a particular focus on the realities of Tuscany, just as well the investment opportunities that may be open for farms with the approval of the new Tuscany RDP 2014-2020.
The interventions, in addition to those more technical of Eng. Chiara Chiostrini and dr. Agronomist Andrea Triossi, which showed more closely TESLA project, also included the participation of several key actor related to financial and insurance sector with presentations by representatives of the Unipol bank and Insurance Assicoop.
The debate and interventions have emerged the possibility that the new RDP 2014-2020 Tuscany can offer to agricultural cooperative, in all sectors, especially with regard to innovation. For example, to name one, the Submeasure 4.1 (ex 121) Improved performance and the overall sustainability of farms and rural businesses, which could be a good opportunity for companies that want to make their production systems more efficient, and therefore sustainable In general the Tuscany RDP, as today presented, starting with the priorities of rural development, focuses heavily on issues related to interventions on competitiveness (investments), innovation, conservation and protection of forests and also to fight climate change. All these goals can only be achieved with efficient enterprises, capable to adopt within their plants technologies that involve lower energy consumption, use of renewable resources and low impact on the ecosystem and that, at the same time, are able to generate also a saving in economic terms.
Those arguments expressed, engage perfectly in what is the purpose of the project TESLA.
In conclusion, we hope that the company participating the workshop may have derived great ideas for the near future, and that they can make good and profitable use of the tools available to improve their energy efficiency.
“Reasons of Future” is the slogan of the 7th Congress of Agro-food Cooperatives of Spain. Last 26 and 27 of February, this Congress gathered in Valencia more than one thousand of cooperatives’ representatives from all over Spain and also from other European countries. In every Congress, one of the main objectives is to be the meeting point where cooperatives can analyze their common problems, can define their interests and can establish strategies and synergies that benefit the collective of cooperatives by presenting their situations and specific experiences.
In this sense, the Congress included four Workshops during the first day afternoon. These workshops dealt with four items that nowadays awaken a great interest within the cooperatives: energy efficiency, competitiveness and market positioning, gender equality in Boards of Directors in the cooperatives, and the relations between cooperative’s partners and its Board of Directors. All these workshops counted with the participation of many cooperative’s representatives that analyzed these items during the debates, speeches, analysis of cooperative’s own experiences, etc.
Workshop on Efficiency and Industrial Innovation in cooperatives:
In this workshop participated Pau Rey-Garcia, from the EASME (European Agency for the SMEs) and Project Officer of TESLA project; Juan Sagarna, chief of the Services, Quality and Innovation Department in Agro-food Cooperatives of Spain; Juan Fuente, manager of the cooperative Ntrs. Sra. De Manjavacas in Mota del Cuervo; Miguel Ángel Catalá, manager of the Cooperativa Agrícola de Bétera; Amalio Llacer, director of Manar Consulting; Joaquín Duaso, manager of the Cooperativa San Miguel de Tauste; and Pedro Sánchez, technical director of the Cooperativa Oleícola El Tejar.
The workshop focussed on the challenges that cooperatives face in relation to the industrial processes they carry out. These energy challenges are important in two ways. First of all regarding how can be reduced the energy costs in olive oil mills, wineries, animal feed factories and fruit and vegetables processing plants and, in general, in all processing of raw materials where energy is one of the main production factors. Secondly, there is the challenge of mobilizing and valorising biomass obtaining from agricultural and agro-industrial residues, such as harvesting and pruning residues or olive oil production residues, among others.
In regards with the first challenge, conclusions coming from the experience of several cooperatives show their success when implementing energy efficiency measures, introducing new technologies and equipments that can reduce considerably energy cost of the process, and making profitable the investment in few years (less than 5 years payback time). In order to identify the best technology for each case, it is interesting to have a detailed analysis of the cooperative’s energy performance through an Energy Audit. In this sense, initiatives like TESLA project (leaded by Agro-food Cooperatives of Spain) are very valued, and facilitate the access of cooperatives to energy efficiency tools and solutions.
Regarding bio-energy and renewable energies, the main conclusions drawn in the workshop were that the approach of these issues must be global. The overall production and transformation cycle must be taken into account, both for the main products (wine, olive oil) and for the sub-products, co-products and residues that could be used. All these products can be used in the different value chains, not only in the food chain but also in the energy or bio-products chains.
Finally, in relation to the specific ideas and solutions exposed in the debate, the following measures were especially interesting for the audience, and were discussed deeply: heating recovery systems (for steam boilers or heating water boilers); change of fuel source (from fuel-oil or gasoil to natural gas or biomass) sometimes just by changing the burner of the boiler; improvements in compress air systems; implementation of floating condensation; and the exploitation of all sub-products of olive oil mills for cogeneration, and also for animal feed and fertilizer.
For the complete post of the Live Blog of the Congress (in Spanish), including King Felipe VI speech during closing ceremony, you can visit the following webpage: http://chil.me/congresoagro-alimentarias
Further ideas and improvement measures will be exposed in coming brokerage events scheduled for the next months in the four countries of the project. For detailed information about them, please check our website.
Last 4th of February, representatives from TESLA project were visiting the European Commission to speak about the project and the importance of energy issues in the rural and food sector. Severalmaterials from the project were delivered in these meetings, mainly the handbooks on energy efficiency in the different sectors.
The first meeting was held with the Director of the Rural Development Unit at DG AGRI. It was very interesting since they are looking for good examples of networking in the rural sector, in order to transfer technologies and best practices. In this sense, They were very interested in the involvement of associations of cooperative businesses, and besides the 110 SMEs audited. The role of the rural development within the Common Agricultural Policy is crutial since the investment in physical assets such as efficient boilers or IE3 motors are elegible for EU rural development funds.
During the afternoon, the TESLA team met members from the Cabinet of Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy. This Cabinet informed us about the keystone role that Energy Efficiency will have in the European policy on energy.
In fact, in a two days later speech, Commisisioner Arias Cañete quoted the three pillars of his commitment with the Energy efficiency:
First: a revision of the eco-design, labelling, buildings and energy efficiency directives, a new strategy on heating and cooling, and continuing leadership on efficient vehicles, including promotion of electro-mobility;
Second: greater and more effective use of available funds, including the Juncker Investment Initiative and regional and structural funds. In this respect the Commission will promote a Smart Cities and Communities initiative and will use the Covenant of Majors to its full potential; and
Third: the EU could do more to deliver all the potential benefits of improving the efficiency of buildings. Investments on insulation are amongst the most profitable ones for citizens and industry nowadays. Most of the work in these topics has to be done at national, regional and local level, but the Commission can play a strong role creating the ideal framework for progress, with a particular focus on the poorest citizens, in rented accommodation, and those in energy poverty.
Apofruit: streamlining the irrigation brings results
Aprofruit Italia, in its plant in Aprilia, presented to FreshPlaza the results related to a trial on irrigation systems, aimed to streamline the use of water. A trial that, in the last 8 years, involved several farmers specialized in kiwi production, members of Apofruit Aprilia.
“Everything started between 2006 and 2007 – as Fabio Marocchi, technical office responsible, explains – when we decided to do a test to streamline irrigation systems. The initial interest was related to the need to move up yellow kiwi harvest for economic reason”. “Then we began analyzing the different kind of existing irrigation control systems on the market. After various researches, in collaboration with agronomist and farm holders, we decided for tensiometers in millibar that can measure how many water is in a specific point of the soil”.
With this kind of instrument, every farmer can easily read the data from the tensiometer.
With the PSA virus (Pseudonomas syringae pv. Actinidia) outbreaks in the orchards, emerged the need to manage water-volumes also to enhance indirect plant protection. A correct irrigation modulation allows to obtain stronger branches for the pruning phase, guarantee a better plant resistance to “micro-injury” due to winter frosts, that represent a way for the virus to enter the kiwi plant.
Worried about PSA, farmers have shown greater attention towards control systems of water-volume, using more and more tensiometers in their business plant.
“Using these instruments to water-volumes control – underline Marco Mastroleo of technical office – permits a reduction of annual water consumption, beyond a streamlining of the entire production process, with direct effect on the fruit sizing, dry matter content and conservability”. This savings on water also imply a saving in energy for water abstraction.
Nowadays around 50 members firm of Apofruit Aprilia used this instrument to control the irrigation, covering about 240 hectare in total. The results are positive: correct irrigation brings economic savings, improve fruit quality, while strengthen the plant towards batteriosi.
Thanks to this work we passed from a method base on personal experience of each farmer (that should be considered in any case) to a more scientific method that can give water according to the real plant needs.
“Compared to kiwi orchard investment, tensiometer cost is very small and amortizing during time. So we strongly suggest to use this control instrument, also considering the production advantages”.
SOURCE: FreshPlaza
http://www.freshplaza.it/article/70825/Apofruit-lottimizzazione-dellirrigazione-da-i-suoi-risultati
Last month thanks to HISPATEC and PROYECTA INGENIO, TESLA Project visited three fruit and vegetables processing plants in Almería: Vegacañada S.A., VICASOL I y II S.C.A. and S.A.T. LAS HORTICHUELAS.
The main purpose of this visit was to identify the measures applied by this companies to improve the energy efficiency in their processes. Cooling and cold storage represent a high percentage of the energy consumption (around 50%) therefore important energy efficiency measures are being carried out by these companies.
Last Thursday July 10th, a Wineries videoconference was held with the main goal of discussing the different tasks that are being developed on the wineries sector under the wp4 so far, mainly the works on the simulation of the wineries process, the handbook about this sector and the successful cases in the wineries sector. Partners from Technical University of Madrid, Évora University, CONFAGRI and Spanish Co-ops took part in these meeting.
How to save energy in the agro-industry will be presented in the University at Vila Real
See more details in the last Flash Notícias Newsletter.