Renewables prevent soil erosion

Sometimes, the most innovative solutions are actually rooted in the past. It's precisely in this spirit that Enel Green Power has decided to deal with the issue of soil erosion and hydrogeological instability, a process which is occurring more and more often, largely due to increasing levels of deforestation, overbuilding and urbanization – and the situation is likely to worsen with . Slopes, road and railroad embankments, river and stream banks, degraded areas, quarries, mines and landfills are all places where the consequences of soil erosion are commonly found. But the issue can also cause problems where facilities are located, because although the construction of such sites takes into consideration the various pedological, agronomic and geotechnical conditions of the soil, it is still possible for the soil conditions to change over time. It is for this reason that EGP is testing a new solution to tackle soil erosion, one that is actually very old and entirely natural: a seed mix consisting of several deep-rooting herbaceous plants. These are non-GMO plants with roots that can reach up to 4-5 meters in length; they are resistant to aridity, able to adapt to any type of soil, with various degrees of acidity (pH), and in any climate, and able to withstand temperatures ranging from -40°C to +60°C. These non-invasive herbaceous plants are also capable of capturing up to 400% more carbon dioxide than other types of plants. This natural, sustainable “invention”, which utilizes none of the geopolymers, techniques or products that are typically associated with hydraulic engineering, was devised by an Italian company that has chosen a decidedly evocative name for itself: (literally meaning “Reinforced Meadows”). The herbaceous plant seeds are carefully selected according to the area in which they are to be used and their compatibility with the local flora. Once sown, they take root easily thanks to the sowing method used: they're “sprayed” onto the ground inside an aqueous solution, which acts as a sort of natural glue. EGP's Operation & Maintenance team have already used this approach, employing it in 2018 to combat soil erosion at the Maida facility in Calabria, Italy. Now the Innovation EGP team is looking to test it in off-limits cases, because successful testing could open the way for the approach to be adopted across the entire Group. To this end, the first innovative use of this approach concerned an area adjacent to a penstock of the Narzole , in the province of Cuneo. The area of land where the successful test was carried out is particularly steep and devoid of vegetation. However, with woods and truffle grounds located in the surrounding environment, it was necessary to experiment with a totally natural solution that would respect all other vegetation. Testing will continue over the next several months at other sites. At the wind power facility, in Molise, which is currently under construction, the aim of the operation will be to mitigate the impact of the road infrastructure being built on lime stabilized embankments, thus enabling it to better integrate into the agricultural environment. The Prati Armati® slogan is “Nature saves itself.” And, indeed, this solution minimizes the risks associated with hydrogeological instability, stabilizes slopes which are a landslide risk, and makes the natural landscape once again hospitable to life, thus preserving . It can also act as a containment measure, thanks to phytocapping, for the remediation of contaminated areas by isolating contaminated materials or soils from the surrounding environment and storm water. Furthermore, it's an entirely maintenance-free technology. The herbaceous plants do not require cutting, they grow in depth but not so much in height, and can also serve as food for livestock without the need for seeds to be resown.