Press release
- Project Powered at Brussels Open Days, 10th October 2012
The ‘Powered Project’ will be illustrated by Antonio Sorgi (Director General for Presidency and European Affairs, Energy and Environmental Assessment – Abruzzo Region, project lead partner) during the debate on ‘Adriatic-Ionian Macroregion: transnational, cross boarder and interregional cooperation actions paving the way ahead’ that will be hosted in Brussels, 10th October at 9 am, at the espace of Banca Monte Paschi Belgio (Avenue d’Auderghem 22-28 – 1040).
The event, that is part of the ‘10th European week of Regions and Cities’ – the event hosted in Brussels from 8th October to 11th October 2012 – is organized by Abruzzo Region (as lead-partner) along with ‘Adriatic-Ionian Macroregion’ partners: Republic of Slovenja (SI), Basilicata Region (IT), Dubrovnik – Neretva Region (HR), Emilia Romagna Region (IT), Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (BH), Marche Region (IT), Molise Region (IT), Nisava, Toplica and Pirot Districts (RS), Puglia Region (IT), Republika Srpska (BH), Sicilia Region (IT), Sumadija-Pomoravlje Districts (RS).
Two panels have been scheduled after the welcome address and introduction by Ferdinando Nelli Feroci (Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Italy to the European Commission), Maria Damanaki (Member of the European Commission, Responsible for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries) and Gianni Chiodi (President of Abruzzo Region). The first will deal with ‘Economic, social and institutional cooperation, network accessibility’, chaired by Pascal Goergen (Secretary General of Assembly of European Regions, AER). The speakers will be Angelo Michele Iorio (President of Adriatic Euroregion and President of Molise Region), Patrizia Mainardi (Managing Authority Erdf Op 2007/2013 –Basilicata Region), Nikola Dubroslavic (President Dubrovnik-Neretva Region), Jasminka Lukovic Jaglicic (Director of Sumadija and Pomoravlje regional economic development agency), Zoran Perisic (Mayor of the city of Nis), Slobodan Markovic (Director of Republika Srpska development agency for Smes).
Second Panel will deal with ‘Energy and network accessibility, natural resources and risk prevention’, chaired by José Palma Andres (DG Regio, Director for European Transnational, cross border and Interregional Cooperation).
The speakers will be Antonio Sorgi (Director General for Presidency and European Affairs, Energy and Environmental Assessment – Abruzzo Region), Silvia Godelli (Regional Minister for Tourism, Culture and Mediterranean Affairs – Puglia Region), Pietro Tolomeo (Director General Sicily Region), Enrico Cocchi (Director General Emilia Romagna Region), Gian Mario Spacca (President of Marche Region), Radomis Matczak (Director Pomorskie Voivodeship).
Four key notes have been scheduled: the speakers will be Francois Alfonsi (Member of European Parliament), Igor Sencar (State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Slovenja), Dimitris Kourkoulas (Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Grecee), Josko Klisovic (Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Croatia).
Final note and conclusions by Marta Dassù (State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Italy).
- Project Powered presented at Rio +20
Project Powered (Project of Offshore Wind Energy: Research, Experimentation, Development), of which the Abruzzo Region is the leading partner, was presented in Brazil at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, that is held in Rio De Janeiro from Wednesday 13th to Thursday 22nd of June: the project was presented yesterday, June 14th, in the Italian Pavilion, in the meeting ‘Offshore wind energy in southern Europe: building capabilities through Ipa-Powered Project’. Powered aims to verify whether there are in the Adriatic Sea the weather, technical and administrative prerequisites to exploit the wind energy.
The Rio initiative is part of a series of meetings and debates the Ministry of Environment organized in cooperation with the Forum das Americas and the World Federation of UN Associations (World Federation of United Nations Associations) – from June 13th to June 21st, to explore major issues and projects about the sustainable development. In this opportunity, in front of an audience of international experts, the Abruzzo Region will illustrate the first results of the study. The Minister for the Environment, Corrado Clini, who will represent Italy in Rio de Janeiro, confirmed the ‘Project Powered’ can represent a model and define the path for the development of offshore wind in the Adriatic sea. The objective of the Government is, in fact, to understand whether it is possible to develop wind power in the Adriatic sea, consistently with the preservation of the environment. Since the project will be concluded, that will be within three years, we expect to create the conditions for major industrial investments in wind off-shore in Italy, how is happening already in other European countries.
Abruzzo Region, creator of the project, is the head of a partnership network which includes the Ministry of Economy of Montenegro, Veneto Agriculture, the Province of Ravenna, Region Marche, Molise and Puglia, CETMA, the company Micoperi Ltd., the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Economy of Albania and the Croatian city of Komiza. The study develops the possibility of installing a network of anemometers along the two coasts of the Adriatic, both offshore and inland, capable of collecting extremely sophisticated data about the strength of the winds. The anemometer will be placed in open sea, on piles of variable-height between 40 and 60 meters. The anemometers will collect extremely accurate scientific data, which will be gathered by the Aeronautic meteorological centre: the analysis of these data will allow to check carefully whether there are areas of the Adriatic Euroregion with favourable climatic conditions to tap the wind energy. The data collected from anemometers will be published on the website http://www.powered-ipa.it, where you can also follow the steps of the project and check the press release. The Director of Regional Affairs of the Presidency and the energy sector policies of the Region, Antonio Sorgi, is the head of the delegation from Abruzzo in Rio de Janeiro. “Having the opportunity to present Powered in a so prestigious forum, in the Italy Pavilion – said Sorgi – means to earn a spotlight for the project and, consequently, its worldwide validation. In Rio, in fact, we will present the first results of the study, from which may arise a confrontation that will surely be enriched by consideration and observation of industry experts from all over the world at this global event. Our hope is to draw useful information to improve the scope and the quality of the project, which benefits of an investment of 4 million 400 thousand euro and has to be completed by February 2014. The appointment of Rio +20 – continues Sorgi – is even more important if we consider that comes 20 years after the first world conference on Earth, that took place in the Brazilian metropolis.” At the presentation of Project Powered, besides Sorgi, who is also the head of the steering committee, will attend by Roberto Binatti (Ministry of the Environment, Land and Sea of Italy), professor Renato Ricci, professor at the University Politecnica of Marche and responsible for the scientific committee, Ercole Cauti, of Metron Group and project manager of Powered, and Mara Roncuzzi, councillor for environmental affairs of the Province of Ravenna.
- Italian Government, «Project Powered a model for the development of wind energy»
Powered Project has received an important acknowledgement by the Italian Government. The environment minister Corrado Clini, speaking at the conference ‘Political support the environmental sustainability of the territory – Experience Powered Project’, which was hosted at hall of Bari Mediterranean Mediterre February 2, stated «Project Powered may be the model and define the trace of the work for the development of offshore wind in the Adriatic». The minister has also emphasized the objective of the Government is «to check if we can develop wind power in the Adriatic in a manner compatible with the environment. I believe that the conclusion of the project will also represent the starting point to invest in this important industrial sector in Italy, how is already happening in other European countries».
The conference, which was a great success, was also attended by the president of the Abruzzo region, Gianni Chiodi (the Abruzzo region is the leader partner of the Project). «This project – Chiodi said – is the first that refers to the Adriatic-Ionian macro-region, an area where we move our future destinies. Our next development strategies must aim to the Mediterranean. That means we must acknowledge that a substantial part of the Mediterranean, in the next years, will have an extraordinary economic dynamism, which can generate a double-figure gross domestic product. A ‘little China’, so to speak, that our entrepreneurs should begin to consider».
The project manager, Antonio Sorgi, head of the Energy department of Region Abruzzo, has emphasized the importance of Powered. «It as made according to the guidelines of the Adriatic Countries, to understand the usability of the off shore wind energy. We care of conflicts that may raise, but there are 13 institutions and private entities involved, Italians, Croats, Albanians and Montenegrins, to bring new energy scenarios and at the same time new business opportunities. We will follow scientific methods to study the possible conditions for investing in this new project, according with the laws of different countries: the exchange of ideas is the main thing»
- Project Powered at the Fiera del Levante of Bari
February the 2d the Fiera del Levante in Bari will host the conference ‘Policies to support the environmental sustainability of the territory – Experience Powered Project’ (starting time at 9.30 am). The conference speakers will be the President of the Puglia Region Nichi Vendola, the President of the Abruzzo Region Giovanni Chiodi, the Minister of the Environmental quality of the Puglia Region Lorenzo Nicastro, the Dìrector for Energy of the European Commission Pedro Ballesteros Torres, the Director for small and medium-sized cooperative enterprises and organizations of the Ministry of Economic Development Gianluca Esposito, the Dean of Economics at the University of Taranto, Bruno Notarnicola, the Mayor of Malmo (Sweden) and Chairman of the environment-climate Change and Energy Committee of the Regions EU Ilmar Reepalu, the Councillor of the Municipality of Genoa Pinuccia Montanari and the Mayor of Bari Michele Emiliano. Project Powered will be presented by Anthony Sorgi, Director of the Region of Abruzzo, which is the leader partner of the project. The adress of the Minister of Environment Corrado Clini will conclude the congress. The Councillor of Mediterranean, culture and tourism of the Puglia Region Silvia Godelli will be the moderator.
The previous day and the afternoon after the conference the Steering Committee and the Scientific and Technical Committee of the Powered Project will gather to take a stock of the project status.
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