• Energy Research

This study adopts a life cycle approach to analyse the principal critical elements, opportunities and limits of biogas production's socio-economic aspects and environmental implications. From this perspective, the biogas supply chain sustainability and the opportunity for a closed-loop approach have been assessed starting from existing studies. The analysis revealed that the biogas sector could play a strategic role in making energy systems more resilient in a context characterised by sudden changes, such as the current scenario. In particular, the research is focused on this sector's potential to support the energy transition in Italy, which presents a structural vulnerability related to fossil resource scarcity. The paper contributes to the literature on the sustainable assessment of the biogas supply chain and paves the way for future researchers to understand the complex issues involved in the biogas sector sustainable development process. Furthermore, it provides policy, managerial and social implications, showing that the complete diffusion of biogas - a renewable, scalable and flexible resource - can foster security and decarbonisation of the energy system. It can also create new business opportunities at the local level, promoting a circular and bio-based economy.

This study adopts a life cycle approach to analyse the principal critical elements, opportunities and limits of biogas production's socio-economic aspects and environmental implications. From this perspective, the biogas supply chain sustainability and the opportunity for a closed-loop approach have been assessed starting from existing studies. The analysis revealed that the biogas sector could play a strategic role in making energy systems more resilient in a context characterised by sudden changes, such as the current scenario. In particular, the research is focused on this sector's potential to support the energy transition in Italy, which presents a structural vulnerability related to fossil resource scarcity. The paper contributes to the literature on the sustainable assessment of the biogas supply chain and paves the way for future researchers to understand the complex issues involved in the biogas sector sustainable development process. Furthermore, it provides policy, managerial and social implications, showing that the complete diffusion of biogas - a renewable, scalable and flexible resource - can foster security and decarbonisation of the energy system. It can also create new business opportunities at the local level, promoting a circular and bio-based economy.

Sustainability is a complex phenomenon that refers to economic, environmental, and social aspects. Any concept of sustainable urban development must incorporate sectoral concepts; these must be well integrated into the overarching urban, regional, and governance policies. One sectoral policy of great importance is the redevelopment processes of disused industrial areas into Sustainable Industrial Areas (AIS), Ecologically Equipped Productive Areas (APEA), or Eco-Industrial Parks (EIP). These territories, as socioeconomic systems that are being observed in the framework of the development of sustainability monitoring, are complex objects for evaluation due to the presence of a large number of interconnections between the constituent elements and hierarchical levels (sectors and spheres). For this reason, it is necessary that a new interpretation of economical, natural, and social phenomena, following a systemic and integrated approach, is able to reinterpret them for the dissemination of an ecologically and socially sustainable economy. The purpose of this work is to analyse the state of realisation of APEA on the Italian national territory, in order to understand the real benefits of production areas managed through eco-efficiency standards and to guarantee an integrated management system of environmental aspects. An additional aim is to consider a logical-mathematical model that would be able to support territorial policies in the identification of suitable areas to be converted into APEA, in order to promote sustainable development of the territory.

Sustainability is a complex phenomenon that refers to economic, environmental, and social aspects. Any concept of sustainable urban development must incorporate sectoral concepts; these must be well integrated into the overarching urban, regional, and governance policies. One sectoral policy of great importance is the redevelopment processes of disused industrial areas into Sustainable Industrial Areas (AIS), Ecologically Equipped Productive Areas (APEA), or Eco-Industrial Parks (EIP). These territories, as socioeconomic systems that are being observed in the framework of the development of sustainability monitoring, are complex objects for evaluation due to the presence of a large number of interconnections between the constituent elements and hierarchical levels (sectors and spheres). For this reason, it is necessary that a new interpretation of economical, natural, and social phenomena, following a systemic and integrated approach, is able to reinterpret them for the dissemination of an ecologically and socially sustainable economy. The purpose of this work is to analyse the state of realisation of APEA on the Italian national territory, in order to understand the real benefits of production areas managed through eco-efficiency standards and to guarantee an integrated management system of environmental aspects. An additional aim is to consider a logical-mathematical model that would be able to support territorial policies in the identification of suitable areas to be converted into APEA, in order to promote sustainable development of the territory.

Over the last decade, the unsustainability of the current economic model, based on the so-called take-make-dispose paradigm, has emerged. In particular, the agro-food sector (AFS) has been severely affected by such problems as resource scarcity and food loss and waste generation along the supply chain. In addition, climate change and biodiversity loss have helped to define an imperative paradigm shift towards a circular economy. Recently, with the publication of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the scientific research examining the adoption of circular economy (CE) models and tools has increased. In this context, the importance of shifting towards a circular economy has become urgent. In this paper, a systematic literature review (SLR) was performed to investigate the state-of-the-art research related to the adoption of circular economy models and tools along the agro-food supply chain. Furthermore, this review highlights that, due to the complexity of the agri-food supply chain, it is almost utopian to define a unique circular economy model for the whole sector. In addition, it emerges that future researches should be concentrated on the integration of different stages of the supply chain with circular economy models and tools in order to create a closed-loop agri-food system.

Over the last decade, the unsustainability of the current economic model, based on the so-called take-make-dispose paradigm, has emerged. In particular, the agro-food sector (AFS) has been severely affected by such problems as resource scarcity and food loss and waste generation along the supply chain. In addition, climate change and biodiversity loss have helped to define an imperative paradigm shift towards a circular economy. Recently, with the publication of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the scientific research examining the adoption of circular economy (CE) models and tools has increased. In this context, the importance of shifting towards a circular economy has become urgent. In this paper, a systematic literature review (SLR) was performed to investigate the state-of-the-art research related to the adoption of circular economy models and tools along the agro-food supply chain. Furthermore, this review highlights that, due to the complexity of the agri-food supply chain, it is almost utopian to define a unique circular economy model for the whole sector. In addition, it emerges that future researches should be concentrated on the integration of different stages of the supply chain with circular economy models and tools in order to create a closed-loop agri-food system.