Posts in category: News

Climate change is no longer just a legend. Its effects have become visible in recent years, reminding us of how important it is to protect the environment, even on a large scale.

The biggest problem when it comes to pollution and environmental protection has always been energy, and the possibility of installing photovoltaic plants has long since become a national priority.

In fact, the urgency of the situation is highlighted by the introduction of measures aimed at simplifying the installation permits and financing the construction of such systems, thus providing incentives for their implementation.

The permit simplification measure

Among the priorities was the possibility of simplifying the authorisation procedures for the installation of the systems. These measures also establish which areas are suitable for the installation of photovoltaic systems.

The first action, taken at the end of 2022, when the “Aid Decree” was issued, therefore consisted of amendments to Legislative Decree no. 28 of 03/03/2011, which established the promotion of the use of renewable energy sources.

This amendment redefined the procedure for the authorisation of their use. This resulted in a Simplified Authorisation Procedure (PAS) for all ground-mounted photovoltaic installations meeting certain requirements:

• They must have an electrical power output of up to 20 MW if located in industrial, production, or commercial areas.
• They must have an electrical power output of up to 10 MW if they are located in areas defined as “suitable”, or else for agri-photovoltaic installations located 3 kilometres from industrial, artisan, or commercial areas.

If the installations do not fall within protected areas and comply with the limitations, the amendment to the decree stipulates that there is no longer a need to verify the submissibility of an Environmental Impact Assessment (more commonly called EIA).

Which areas are suitable for PAS?

The amendments to the decree thus led to talk of so-called “suitable areas”. But what are these suitable areas?

Art. 20 of Legislative Decree 199/2021 already discussed these areas, but the recent provisions extended the limitations to which they were previously subject. The following specifications have therefore been introduced:

• Suitable areas are defined as all areas classified as agricultural, and enclosed within a perimeter no more than 500 metres away from industrial, craft, commercial, quarry and mining areas.
• Suitable areas are also defined as all areas adjacent to the motorway network, provided that they are at least 300 metres away from it.

Financing and economic facilities for the construction of installations

The measures to incentivise the installation of photovoltaic systems are not limited to merely eliminating the bureaucracy surrounding the procedures and making the regulations clearer and simpler.

The government’s intention to promote the installation of photovoltaics and the use of renewable energy sources is also highlighted by its offer of financial and economic grants for their realisation.

The calls for tenders have been prioritised by Europe itself, and are directly derived from the NRRP. Among these, the following have been launched in recent months:

• The AGRISOLAR call for tenders, for the financing of photovoltaic systems at agricultural, livestock, and agro-industrial production facilities.
• The AGRIVOLTAIC call for tenders, for the financing of photovoltaic systems for farms, for self-consumption, innovative systems, on rooftops, and for the combined management of agriculture and energy production.
• The MITE call for tenders, for the upgrading of public buildings and the construction of photovoltaic systems for self-consumption.

In addition to these national calls for tenders, other regional ones have also been prepared, like in the case of Emilia Romagna, with:

• The RER call for tenders, for the upgrading of public buildings and the installation of photovoltaic systems for self-consumption.
• The RER call for tenders, for the energy upgrading of production facilities and the installation of systems for self-consumption.
• The RER call for tenders, for the construction of Renewable Energy Communities, with the aim of sharing excess energy produced by photovoltaic installation on self-consumption networks.

In conclusion

In a push towards green energy and eco-sustainability, Italy and its regions are committed to incentivising the increased use of renewable energy sources at the expense of polluting and non-renewable sources.

By introducing specific measures, they have reduced the bureaucratic process for installing photovoltaic systems, and incentives are also being offered.

This will not only contribute to a cleaner world, but can also help guide the nation towards energy independence, and lower energy bills.

For more information on the installation and use of photovoltaic systems, including for self-consumption, please contact Restart at info@restart-progetti.it or by certified e-mail at restartengineering@legalmail.it.

Restart group has specialised in public lighting, renewable energy, and energy efficiency upgrading since 2015. The company is constantly growing and reorganising to better meet the needs of the sector.

In addition to the continuous expansion of its workforce, the Restart organisational structure has also undergone two other significant changes since the start of 2023:

• The opening of a second Restart Engineering operational facility in Novellara (RE).
• The appointment of a new General Manager.

The new operational headquarters in Novellara is home to a portion of the operational staff for the “public lighting” division.

The new General Manager, who works at the main office, was introduced to ensure organic coordination between the 3 internal divisions (public lighting, renewable energy, and energy efficiency), as well as between the various locations (Novellara, Novellara 2, Faenza, Villamar, and the new facility in Venice).

Restart group includes Restart Engineering, Restart Progetti, and Restart Energia. Restart Engineering also holds a controlling share in Restart Green Solutions, based in Catania, and Restart Smart City, based in Brescia, as well as a non-controlling share in Erta Servizi, with offices in Verona and Genoa.

Restart Energia is the new name of the former Stil Service.  The name was changed in order to better identify it as a Restart group company.

There is therefore a strong need for coordination in order to ensure the correct and transversal implementation of the directives imparted by the directors throughout the constantly growing group, and to ensure that high quality standards are maintained.

Having worked at Restart in the past, and knowing the company well, Engineer Davide Vezzani was chosen for this role.

About the new General Manager of Restart, Davide Vezzani

Davide Vezzani is a civil engineer with a five-year degree from the University of Bologna specialising in structural engineering. He began his career at a major engineering firm, where he worked on large public structures (hospitals, schools, etc.). 

He later became the manager of a municipal technical office and later of a provincial office, and went on to become technical director of a municipal company dealing with renewable energy. Here, he became involved in the creation of various energy production and cogeneration facilities and installations, even dealing with the procurement and self-production of the biomass needed for the plants themselves.

Following this experience, he worked as a freelance civil engineer for about four years, advising public and private companies in the sector, particularly in the fields of cogeneration and LED lighting. It was during this period that he first encountered Restart, with which he collaborated for about two years.

In 2014, he was contacted by a major local manufacturing company to head up the technical and R&D departments. Here, his job dealt with drinking water filtration components, swimming pool components, chemical dosing pumps, and cleaning products, such as washing machines and industrial dishwashers.

After five years, Restart asked him to return to the company in the role of General Manager, since, in the meantime, the company had grown considerably in terms of both size and turnover.

The company’s directors gave him a clear goal: the energy sector was rapidly growing, and Restart needed to keep pace with the sector, while at the same time maintaining its same quality standards.

This was an ambitious challenge, given the considerable competition in the sector and the increasing difficulty in finding qualified technical personnel. But Restart already boasted a significant competitive advantage: it used procedures that had been consolidated over time, and had specific programs and equipment that allowed it to carry out its activities in a professional and reliable manner.

And while it won’t be easy to continue growing, there’s no doubt that, due to both the economic and environmental implications that the use of energy poses in the modern era, the energy sector is becoming increasingly strategic.

Restart is committed to using its experience and professionalism to always offer its customers the most up-to-date and modern solutions, without forgetting the possibilities offered by smart solutions, which can often be combined with any design. The opening of the new Restart Engineering facility and the appointment of Davide Vezzani in the role of General Manager are two more steps in this direction.

For further information, please contact Restart Engineering S.r.l. https://restart.kina.it or write an e-mail to info@restart-progetti.it

Nowadays, there is an increasing desire to install photovoltaic systems in homes, businesses, and public buildings. In fact, with energy costs having risen significantly in recent months, these solutions can provide significant savings through self-consumption. In addition, the possibility of being part of a Renewable Energy Community leads to the creation of a network for sharing energy generated by the sun.

And that’s not to mention the environmental sustainability aspect, because photovoltaic panels guarantee the use of a renewable energy source. In fact, switching from fossil fuels to clean energy sources helps protect the environment and furthers the energy transition, which has become a major priority over the years, not only for Italy, but for most countries worldwide.

In order to find the most suitable solution for your home, business, or public building, it is essential to seek the help of a competent partner. Restart specialises in the design of renewable energy systems, specifically photovoltaic installations, and boasts a highly qualified staff capable of handling the administrative paperwork necessary for their implementation and connection to the grid.

Quality photovoltaic installations

Over the years, the staff at Restart has gained all the skills and experience needed to ensure the optimal design of photovoltaic installations of all sizes, including domestic and industrial installations, and free-field power plants. Restart offers a “turnkey” service complete with all the consultancy needed for the installation of a photovoltaic system, including the authorisation procedures, structural analyses, geological and topographical assessments, and the issuance of a certified notice of commencement of business (SCIA) for fire prevention purposes. In addition, it also offers consultancy related to the handling of the various procedures for the commissioning of the systems themselves, including the connection procedures with the Grid Manager, the application for an Electricity Workshop Licence from the Customs Authorities, and the application for an energy sales agreement with the GSE.

Restart’s 15 highly professional technicians operate in the areas surrounding Novellara and Faenza, handling authorisation procedures for design and construction, and the requirements for the commissioning of the photovoltaic installations. In fact, Restart manages approximately 130 domestic installations every month. The company has also designed medium-size rooftop and ground-mounted plants (from 20kW to 1MW), totalling approximately 5MW; various initiatives for large scale ground-mounted plants, totalling approximately 150MW, are also currently undergoing the authorisation phase, and others are ready to enter into operation.  

Finally, Restart recently created “FIDENZA SOLARE” for the municipality of Fidenza: an effective tool aimed at fostering the development of photovoltaics throughout the municipality. And while this initiative is the first of its kind in Italy, Restart intends to propose similar initiatives to other municipalities, so that the process can be replicated, thus expediting the energy transition at the national level.

For more information, contact Restart Engineering S.r.l. https://restart.kina.it or email us at info@restart-progetti.it

By combining their expertise, Restart Engineering, a leader in the design of energy efficiency systems for public lighting for public administrations and “Multi-Utility” companies, and SCEA, a local company specialised in the design of energy efficiency systems, have given rise to the Sicily-based company “RESTART GREEN SOLUTIONS”.

The new company brings together the know-how and characteristics of both of these companies on the island, resulting in an extraordinary entity that’s capable of handling complex energy efficiency projects for Public Administrations and production companies, while at the same time providing technical, commercial, and financial support for obtaining Energy Efficiency Certificates (TEEs).

The Company’s technical-operational organisation is characterised by two branches of intervention:

• an external branch that checks the current status and nature of the plants to be made more energy efficient;
• an internal branch made up of professional figures who transform the data acquired into technical/design choices to meet the clients’ requirements.

The technical department is made up of internal workstations that are electronically connected to the external detection units via special APPs in order to acquire all the data necessary for the upgrade of the existing plant in real time.

In particular, Restart Green Solution srl is able to offer public and private customers:

Georeferenced surveys applied to public lighting, in full compliance with the Minimum Environmental Criteria (CAM), throughout the entire country;

Documentary verification for Energy Efficiency Certificate (TEE) applications;

Energy Diagnostics;

Energy Management for Public Bodies and Companies;

Design of photovoltaic installations and wind power plants;

Design for the energy efficiency upgrading of public lighting systems.

With regard to the activities carried out on public lighting systems, these mainly consist of optimising the system by replacing existing, obsolete lamps with products that guarantee significant savings in terms of both energy consumption (and therefore economic cost) and CO2 emissions, while at the same time improving their aesthetic and visual aspects.

Georeferenced Public Lighting Surveys

Prior to drawing up an energy efficiency improvement project, it is necessary to carry out a census of the installations in order to determine exactly what they consist of, and numerous other data items necessary for the improvement of the entire public lighting network.

The “georeferenced” census is carried out via a special app, which makes it possible to identify the exact geographical location of each lighting point and switchboard on a dynamic map, and to store images of each individual point.

The census must be carried out in compliance with the guidelines and regulations of the Minimum Environmental Criteria (C.A.M.) contained in the Ministerial Decree of 27/09/2017, which for the public lighting service must follow the “level 2 census”.

In particular, it is important to acquire all the characteristics of the various components that make up the installation, such as the lighting fixtures, switchboards, etc., including a comprehensive photo for each individual lighting point surveyed.

Project Financing

In order to meet the needs and difficulties of Public Administrations, it is possible to make use of the incentives of a “Project Financing” agreement or, more simply, to stipulate an “Energy Performance Contract”.

“Project finance” is a long-term financing technique for projects in which the repayment of the financing itself is guaranteed by the cash flows expected to be obtained from the management or operation of the work itself.

In particular, therefore, these entail the involvement of ESCOs, of rather “private entities” that take on all or part of the cost for the realisation of projects involving public works or public utilities in return for an “annual fee”, duly calculated and proposed by the “promoter”.

For public lighting systems, therefore, after having carried out the feasibility study of the works to adapt and upgrade the energy efficiency of the entire system, the “promoter” carries it out under its own responsibility and at its own expense, bearing the cost of the electricity consumption and the burden of keeping it operating efficiently for the entire duration of the agreement, in exchange for the annual fee paid to it by the “Municipal Administration”.

For the Administration, this procedure has many positive aspects. In fact, the Municipality has its public lighting system upgraded and brought up to standard for the entire duration of the contract, at “zero cost”.

For further information, please contact Restart Engineering S.r.l. https://restart.kina.it or send an e-mail to info@restart-progetti.it

Extending from the Alps to the Valley of the Temples, traversing the countryside and the Apennines, over a stretch of land that divides the four seas, Italy is a country of extraordinary beauty.

But the charm of Venice is unparalleled worldwide, and visitors from all over the planet flock to admire this city, whose magnificent canals are lined with splendid examples of Renaissance and Gothic architecture.

And while the Serenissima by day may be picturesque, the atmosphere by night will be pure magic thanks to the future public lighting projects for several buildings and monuments designed by the engineering company Restart of Novellara. Although relatively young, this company has already asserted itself as a leading provider of technical and professional services related to the design of public lighting systems, civil and industrial electrical systems, mechanical systems, photovoltaic installations, and energy efficiency projects, with a particular focus on renewable energy sources.

With additional facilities in Romagna and Sardinia, and with a hundred or so technicians and collaborators, Restart has been awarded several public contracts at the national level, including the project for the upgrading of the public lighting, traffic lights, Smart City technologies and video surveillance systems for the Municipality of Venice.

THE QUEEN OF THE ADRIATIC

The various works covered by the project include the upgrading of the lighting for some of the lagoon city’s most symbolic monuments, such as

• the Calatrava bridge;
• Cà Farsetti;
• Cà Loredan (Venice City Hall);
• the Bridge of Sighs;
• St. Mark’s Basilica;
• the Rialto Bridge;
• The Church of the Most Holy Redeemer.

Essentially every destination that a tourist must visit to be able to claim they have seen Venice, knowing full well that they will return home with a mosaic of images impressed in their memory for a lifetime… also thanks to the skilful lighting design (which is an essential aspect of photography – whether the images will remain in the heart or be printed on paper) by Restart.

The intervention will be aimed at upgrading the lighting to provide a better night time perception of the environment, improving visibility, reducing glare, and limiting environmental impact with state-of-the-art lighting technologies, such as low-temperature LED lamps.

Restart, and there was light!

For more information, contact Restart Engineering S.r.l. https://restart.kina.it or write to info@restart-progetti.it

Smart cities are defined by the European Union as places where traditional networks and services are made more efficient through the use of digital solutions for the benefit of their inhabitants and businesses.

In theory, a typical smart city contains a large number of sensors that collect and manage a large amount of data, in order to allow for sustainable, energy-efficient mobility.

Our parents would have called them the cities of the future, where everything or almost everything is automated. The sectors are the following:

• Mobility
• School
• Tourism
• Government
• Healthcare

Mobility and Smart Parking

For a smart city to improve the quality of life of its citizens, it must be efficient in terms of mobility. Mobility basically means less traffic and fewer emissions. How can this be achieved? And when?

Think of traffic lights, and how they detect the presence of cars at intersections to minimise unnecessary stops: how much time is wasted and how much pollution is caused by stopping at a red light if no one is coming in the other direction? The traffic light receives the information and immediately gives the green light without any unnecessary waiting. Is this the future? This has already been the case in Switzerland for thirty years.

It has been statistically proven that 40% of city traffic is generated by drivers, often nervous and looking for parking. They create noise and pollution for the city, and stress and anxiety for themselves. How can the quality of life be improved?

The technology is already available: imagine installing sensors under the road surface that collect information if the parking space is free or occupied, and transmit the information via variable message signs (today) distributed around the city, or even directly to the vehicle (tomorrow). The driver viewing the message would go to the area that is currently indicated as having the most spaces available.

Smart Parking and Blockchain

Thanks to blockchain technology and the Internet of Things (IoT), the service to citizens can be further improved. Imagine sending cryptocurrency funds (or digital Euros when and if they are ever created) to a smart contract (nothing more than a software program) that acts as a parking piggy bank. With a sensor in the car park and a sensor on the car, the program can easily determine how long the vehicle has been parked and automatically withdraw as much money from the piggy bank as is needed for parking, again automatically returning any excess money deposited to the sender. In one fell swoop, the anxiety of parking tickets for expired parking spaces, or having to run to renew the ticket would be erased.

This isn’t science fiction! The technology is already available! All we need is will and the time to implement it!

For further information, visit Restart Smart City at the website https://restart.kina.it or send an e-mail to info@restart-progetti.it

Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) are legal entities set up by private citizens, entities, and companies, which consume self-produced energy with plants powered by renewable energy sources.

In fact, this is a major step towards an energy scenario based on distributed energy generation, which will facilitate the development of zero-kilometre energy and smart grids. In Italy, in fact, it was already possible for individual citizens or groups of companies to join together to fund the installation of a shared plant powered by renewable energy sources, but the idea that such a plant could supply energy to multiple users was not envisaged.

This model is already widespread throughout Northern Europe, and aims to disseminate the use of green and sustainable energy through the creation of virtuous systems for the production and sharing of energy from renewable sources. 

However, in order to fully understand the concept, and how these communities are a fundamental tool for the ecological transition, we cannot limit ourselves to this definition alone.

The Renewable Energy Community: how it works and how to build one

The first step in building an energy community is to set up a legal entity among the community’s future members, who may be individuals, small or medium-sized enterprises, local authorities, or local public administrations. 

Since, by law, an energy community cannot be a for-profit entity, the most commonly used forms are the unrecognised association or the cooperative. The next step is to identify the area where the production plant will be installed.

Once the plant is in operation, the community can apply to Italy’s Energy Services Authority (Gestore dei Servizi Energetici – GSE) to obtain the incentives provided by law for shared energy. In addition, it must be specified that the incentives are not granted for all the energy produced, but only that which is shared within the community, or rather that consumed by the members during the same production time slot.

The 3 benefits of Renewable Energy Communities

As illustrated above, it is possible to reduce energy waste and encourage the spread of renewable energy at the same time. This not only brings considerable benefits to the community in terms of energy savings (and therefore reduced CO2 emissions), but also significant savings on energy bills.

In particular, renewable energy communities provide the following benefits:

1) Environmental benefits
by avoiding the production of energy from fossil fuels, on the one hand, and by dissipating energy in grid losses on the other.

2) Economic benefits
thanks to the incentive mechanisms provided by law to promote the energy transition, which can be combined with other public grants, such as the Bonus Casa and Superbonus 110%.

3) Social benefits
thanks to the sharing of the financial incentives and economic profits with the energy community, as well as environmental benefits (reduction of pollutants and climate-changing agents) for the entire area in which the community is located.

Restart specialises in the design of renewable energy systems, specifically photovoltaic installations, and in handling the administrative procedures for their implementation and connection to the grid.

Our experience allows us to offer a “turnkey” service complete with all the consultancy needed, including the authorisation procedures, structural analyses, geological and topographical assessments, the issuance of a certified notice of commencement of business (SCIA) for fire prevention purposes, and the handling of the various procedures for the commissioning of the systems themselves, including the connection procedures with the Grid Manager, the application for an Electricity Workshop Licence from the Customs Authorities, and the application for an energy sales agreement with the GSE.

Visit our website http://www.restartengineering.it/ to request more information about our services and activities.

Or contact us by e-mail at info@restart-progetti.it 

The bond between Restart and A.C Reggiana, a team of which the company is particularly fond, that’s currently playing in the LEGA PRO championship, has withstood the two-year hiatus caused by Covid. In fact, the sponsorship of the top team, which began in the 2019/2020 LEGA PRO season and ended with its promotion to Serie B, has been recently resumed.

Moreover, compared to three years ago, Restart has doubled its commitment, becoming an “Exclusive Partner” of the most representative team in the province of Reggio Emilia.

Restart is once again proud to be part of the large family of granata partners, which not only consists of sponsorships, but also values that the granata partners share with the A.C. Reggiana club at both the sporting and social levels.

In this regard, it should be noted that Restart has also been supporting several local amateur clubs with various sponsorships for years, with a particular focus on youth sectors.

For more information about our projects and services, visit our website at http://www.restartengineering.it/

Or contact us by writing to info@restart-progetti.it

The term Smart City refers to an urban area where the efficiency of the services and infrastructure can be improved through digital technologies and innovation.

However, the concept of the smart city goes beyond the use of digital technologies for a more efficient use of resources, as it encompasses a new way of looking at the urban context, with a focus on energy efficiency and the well-being of its citizens.

In particular, the definition of Smart City also includes smarter urban transpor networks (Smart Mobility), improved water supply and waste disposal facilities (Smart Waste), and more energy efficient ways of lighting and heating buildings (Smart Building).

It’s a new vision of the city sphere that also includes a more interactive and responsive administration, safer public spaces (Smart Security), and a better fulfilment of people’s needs (Smart People).

THE BENEFITS OF A SMART CITY

As noted, the term Smart City refers to the monitoring and management of the elements of a city (such as transport, public lighting, and parking) and its surrounding environment (e.g. rivers, forests, mountains), in order to render it more liveable and sustainable.

In fact, the transition from a “traditional city” to a “smart city” creates numerous opportunities, such as:

– reduction of energy consumption;

– optimisation of waste collection;

– improvement of public transport;

– reduction of urban decay.

These and other benefits help cope with urban population growth, and reduce the impact of cities on the environment and pollution, which is why the public funding for national and international events and initiatives on this topic is growing.

RESTART SMART CITY: A NEW VISION OF THE URBAN REALITY

At the beginning of 2022, Restart group set up a new company specialising in the Smart City sector, thus intercepting the growing demand from ESCOs and public administrations.

In keeping with the trend of the other Group companies, the name chosen for the new Brescia-based company was Restart Smart City, and, in addition to public lighting (already the group’s core business), it has also adopted an innovative approach to the development and integration of cities and their surrounding territories.

At Restart Smart City, a team made up of 4 professional figures specialised in the field of Smart Technologies, IoT-Internet of things, and artificial intelligence is already operational. A team that, in addition to operating directly on the market, is also capable of providing stable and qualified operational support for all the other Restart group companies in their specific areas.

To request more information about our services and activities, visit our website at http://www.restartengineering.it/.

Or contact us by sending an e-mail to info@restart-progetti.it 

Restart’s third operational facility at no. 80 Via Roma, Villamar (SU), which will mainly deal with public lighting efficiency improvement projects and the design of large ground-mounted photovoltaic installations, was inaugurated on Saturday 2 May.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECTS

The first step towards the Smart City concept

The working group at Restart’s Villamar facility currently consists of 6 specialised technicians, who have previously been involved in public lighting efficiency improvement projects for various municipalities in Sardinia, including Mamoiada (NU), Orgosolo (NU), Ala dei Sardi (SS), and San Vito (CA). The public lighting energy efficiency projects undertaken by Restart will not only serve to save electricity, but will also create new “smart city” infrastructures, a term which denotes a city that has become increasingly advanced thanks to the use of digital technologies.

The company’s goal, therefore, is to improve the quality of public lighting, for example, by implementing adaptive lighting systems with sensors and/or cameras that allow light flows to self-adjust in real time based on various factors (road traffic, weather conditions, etc.).

“For some years now, we have been working continuously in Sardinia with projects aimed at improving the efficiency of public lighting systems in various municipalities on the island, and this new location will allow us to have a greater presence in the area,” says Luca Catellani, Restart’s vice-president. “In the coming years, Sardinia will become an important model for the energy transition, as a considerable number of renewable energy production plants are expected to be built on the island, in order to render it energy independent. And Restart wants to contribute to this important objective with the opening of its Villamar location. In this case, the idea is to involve local professionals and share this opportunity with them. For this reason, we have already launched a network of partnerships with professional studios in the area, with which we intend to carry out major initiatives involving large ground-mounted photovoltaic installations and wind power plants.”

To learn more about our services and activities, visit our website at http://www.restartengineering.it/

Or to request more information, write to us at info@restart-progetti.it