• Energy Research

This paper presents the preliminary results of a cultural and social acceptability assessment of geothermal energy exploitation in southern Italy; this research was carried out in the frame of the national project 'VIGOR' led by CNR (Italian National Research Council) and the Italian Ministry of Economic Development to investigate the potentials of geothermal energy exploitation in southern Italy. The research was designed asa case study and carried out in the province of Palermo, Sicily, where CNR has conducted geological prospecting in order to establish the geothermal potential in the area of Termini Imerese. The area of Termini Imerese was selected as case study as a step towards designing approaches for "upstream" public engagement, i.e. engaging citizens in the early steps of eventual technology developments that impact their daily life. The case study has two basic components: (1) Focus Groups were conducted with four different groups of citizens and stakeholders from the selected area; (2) a Survey with a sample of 400 citizens calibrated by gender, age, education and residence was carried out in the province of Palermo. Energy issues are clearly perceived as very politicized at the moment and major concerns rise from lack of confidence towards politicians, energy companies and institutions in general, to adequately manage innovation processes in the energy sector in general. Our tentative conclusions are that there is considerable openness and interest in geothermal power but there is still quite a lot of work on societal dialogue to be done to accommodate public concerns, reduce uncertainties and set the eventual development of geothermal energy exploitation on a socially and culturally sustainable path.

This paper presents the preliminary results of a cultural and social acceptability assessment of geothermal energy exploitation in southern Italy; this research was carried out in the frame of the national project 'VIGOR' led by CNR (Italian National Research Council) and the Italian Ministry of Economic Development to investigate the potentials of geothermal energy exploitation in southern Italy. The research was designed asa case study and carried out in the province of Palermo, Sicily, where CNR has conducted geological prospecting in order to establish the geothermal potential in the area of Termini Imerese. The area of Termini Imerese was selected as case study as a step towards designing approaches for "upstream" public engagement, i.e. engaging citizens in the early steps of eventual technology developments that impact their daily life. The case study has two basic components: (1) Focus Groups were conducted with four different groups of citizens and stakeholders from the selected area; (2) a Survey with a sample of 400 citizens calibrated by gender, age, education and residence was carried out in the province of Palermo. Energy issues are clearly perceived as very politicized at the moment and major concerns rise from lack of confidence towards politicians, energy companies and institutions in general, to adequately manage innovation processes in the energy sector in general. Our tentative conclusions are that there is considerable openness and interest in geothermal power but there is still quite a lot of work on societal dialogue to be done to accommodate public concerns, reduce uncertainties and set the eventual development of geothermal energy exploitation on a socially and culturally sustainable path.

In the frame of the Integrated Method for Advanced Geothermal Exploration (IMAGE) Project, a reliable exploration and resource assessment workflow was implemented on the basis of an integrated and multidisciplinary approach. Our study addressed to a better understanding of the thermal structure of the deepest part of the Larderello geothermal field (Southern Tuscany, Italy) by integrating structural, geological, geochemical, geochronological, petrological and geophysical data. With the aim to characterize the reservoir located nearby an important seismic reflector (the K-horizon), we systematized the available data and, successively, we applied a numerical thermal modelling approach to test our hypotheses and concepts.

In the frame of the Integrated Method for Advanced Geothermal Exploration (IMAGE) Project, a reliable exploration and resource assessment workflow was implemented on the basis of an integrated and multidisciplinary approach. Our study addressed to a better understanding of the thermal structure of the deepest part of the Larderello geothermal field (Southern Tuscany, Italy) by integrating structural, geological, geochemical, geochronological, petrological and geophysical data. With the aim to characterize the reservoir located nearby an important seismic reflector (the K-horizon), we systematized the available data and, successively, we applied a numerical thermal modelling approach to test our hypotheses and concepts.

This paper presents the results of an assessment of public views on eventual geothermal energy development in Sicily. The research was carried out under a much wider research project, VIGOR, with the aim to explore the feasibility of geothermal energy utilization in southern Italy. This study has two primary objectives: (1) to explore the views and opinions of local communities regarding the potential of geothermal energy applications; (2) to contribute to the growing literature on public engagement with energy issues. In order to explore public views towards geothermal technologies, we conducted a case study using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Although Italy has enormous geological potential for geothermal energy production, levels of knowledge of this energy source amongst the public are low. The results indicate that the issue is shrouded in uncertainty and that the Sicilian public expresses a diffused lack of trust in decision-making processes. Taken together, these factors are likely to strongly impact eventual further developments in this sector. The results clearly show the need for further societal dialogue supported by a sound communication action strategy as the first stage in a public participation.