Energy self-sufficiency and sustainable development in a closed mountain area

The present paper presents the first results of a study for defining the environmental energy plan of the Province of Belluno, placed in a mountain territory in North-East of Italy. In the plan, the energy consumptions and the potential of renewable energy sources in this tipically mountainous area were first analyzed. The aim of the study was to identify the best strategies of intervention to ensure the sustainable development of the territory. The most energy-consuming sectors have been analyzed and some first possible response interventions have been proposed. The industrial and tertiary sectors have very few possible interventions worthy of note, but the residential sector can be greatly improved. At the same time, the field of energy production has been analyzed, the current state has been studied in detail and the improving potential has been evaluated, focusing on renewable energies, especially on small size hydroelectric power plant and on photovoltaic energy.