On April 15th, 2025, the event “Mobilization, Mutual Learning Workshop & Field Visit” took place in Rome, Italy. It has been organised by APRE – Agency for the Promotion of European Research – the manager of the Italian Hub – and AzzeroCO2, both Italian partners of the ALFA project. The day began in the heart of the Italian capital with the Mobilization and Mutual Learning Workshop, held at APRE’s headquarters. The event brought together a wide range of speakers from both Italy and abroad, who shared their experiences and insights. The Mutual Learning Workshop focused on the main topic: “Policies, actions and measures aimed at supporting the biogas solutions market”.
Starting from the case study of the Antonio Trionfi Honorati farm, a successful case listed in the ALFA project’s Atlas Map for Italy, which recently decided to shut down its biogas plant after 15 years of operation. Experts and livestock farmers engaged in an open dialogue on strategies to revitalize biogas development in Italian agricultural and livestock sectors. The discussion aimed both to explore how to promote biogas adoption and prevent shutdowns of first-generation biogas plants. Key themes included incentives, new technologies, the role of Renewable Energy Communities, sector trends, comparisons with other countries, best practices, challenges, and opportunities.
Alongside the project managers at APRE working on the ALFA Project – Luna Del Pizzo, Flaminia Rocca and Riccardo Coletta (the latter also manager of the Italian ALFA Hub) -, the speakers included high-level representatives and experts such as Giuseppe Dell’Olio (GSE S.p.A.– Gestore dei Servizi Energetici), Dario Colombari (RSE –Ricerca sul Sistema Energetico), George Osei Owusu (European Biogas Association, also an ALFA partner), and several senior consultants and experts in the fields of biogas and biomethane, circular economy, agronomy and multifunctional agriculture, and animal welfare, including Lorenzo Maggioni (also former Head of R&D at the Italian Biogas Consortium – CIB), Luca Zambelli (expert consultant in sustainability and biogas), Alessandro Rosati (AzzeroCO2, also an ALFA partner), and Antonio Trionfi Honorati, owner and operator of the Antonio Trionfi Honorati agricultural company.
After the morning session, participants joined a networking lunch, offering a chance to connect and reflect in a more informal setting. In the afternoon, the event continued with a site visit to the biogas plant at “Azienda Agricola Marella – Caseificio Formaggi Boccea”, located in the Roman countryside, just a few kilometers outside the city. Owner Emanuele Marella personally guided participants through the cheese factory, showcasing the entire process—from milk delivery to cheese production, aging, packaging, and distribution. The plant is an example of circular energy use: the whey, a byproduct of milk processing, is channeled into the biogas plant to produce electricity, thermal energy, and clean water. The facility was selected for several reasons, such as the farm’s longstanding commitment to sustainability, its collaborative model (nearby dairies bring their waste to Marella’s plant), the innovative use of whey as a biogas source, the integration of multiple renewable energy sources (including rooftop solar
panels), and the small-scale size of the plant, which serves as an inspiring model for many small and medium-sized agricultural and livestock farms in Italy—encouraging them to explore similar solutions independently or through cooperatives. Among the participants were also livestock farmers who applied to the second Open Call of the ALFA project, and who are currently receiving expert consulting and support in the biogas sector. For them, the event was an important opportunity to interact with leading experts, ask questions, exchange with peers, and visit a biogas facility operated by its owner.
The event was also attended by prominent web magazines specializing in the fields of energy and livestock farming, such as QualeEnergia.it, which conducted interviews with several speakers, and Ruminantia – a well-known and widely followed magazine dedicated to the world of ruminants, with a large readership among livestock farmers – represented by its founder and editor-in-chief, Alessandro Fantini.
