I.DE.A. Granda

I.DE.A. Granda (Integrazione Dell'Energia nell'Ambiente - Integration of Energy into the Environment, in the heart of the Piedmont province of Cuneo, the 'Provincia Granda') is the first eco-sustainable and economically independent Integrated System in Europe for the production of high grade fuel from municipal solid waste based on Pirelli Ambiente's technology (SRF-P).

Developed in a record time of 6 months, enabled by close cooperation from the Provincial Authority of Cuneo, the Azienda Cuneese Smaltimento Rifiuti (ACSR), the Buzzi Unicem group and Pirelli Ambiente, I.DE.A. Granda has been in continuous operation since the end of 2002.

The Integrated System of I.DE.A. Granda envisages that all of the municipal solid waste, collected in the 54 municipalities of the 'Provincia Granda' - which are members of the ACSR consortium - usually delivered for disposal in the landfill in Borgo San Dalmazzo (Cuneo), is treated in the ACSR plant by separating

the dry fraction from the wet fraction: the dry fraction is then treated and processed in the I.DE.A. Granda plant, located in Roccavione (CN). The effective energy recovery of the (SRF-P) fuel is achieved by directly co-firing it in the nearby Buzzi Unicem cement kiln in Robilante (Cuneo): the SRF-P is fed into the main burner as a particle replacement (over 40%) of the fossil fuel traditionally used and therefore helps to reduce the plant's atmospheric emissions.

The SRF-P production processed at the I.DE.A. Granda plant:

• involves a sequence of operations entailing selection, shredding, drying and mixing of the fuel with components with a high calorific value, such as chlorine-free plastics resulting from differentiated waste collection, rubber scraps and End Of Life Tyres;
• is performed entirely in a depressurised production facility;
• is equipped with an efficient air treatment system.