Claudia Vannoni[6]*, Serena Drigo1, Nicola Iannuzzo[7], Andrea Micangeli2

1 Department of Mechanics and Aeronautics — University of Rome “SAPIENZA”

Via Eudossiana, 18 — 00184 Roma (Italy)

2

CIRPS (Interuniversity Research Centre on Sustainable development) — University of Rome “SAPIENZA”

Via Tommaso Grossi 6 00184 Roma
* Corresponding Author, claudia. vannoni@uniroma1.it

Abstract

In 2001 the Italian Ministries of Environment and Justice signed an agreement addressed to the Italian jails for the installation of up to 5,000 m2 (3.5 MWth) of solar thermal collectors.

Goals of the “Solar Jails” program are the reduction of the energy consumption in jails, as buildings owned by public authorities with high and constant annual DHW demand, and the encouragement of the use of solar heat at large scale. However, besides the environmental and technical aspects addressed, the most challenging purpose of the initiative is the empowerment of the prisoners trained to install and to maintain the plant. In particular, the professional qualification gained on solar are expected afterwards to increase the reemployment opportunities.

The programme, after one pilot project in the Rebibbia jail of Rome, foresees the “solarization” of more 14 jails all over Italy by 2010. Currently two jails has been already solarized and six more are implementing the program procedures.

Jails, not only in Italy, are usually located in buildings with large surfaces suitable for installation and without strict aesthetical requirements for the architectonic integration. Those characteristics, coupled with the very high and continuous annual DHW energy demand, show clearly the huge potential for the repeatability of this initiative.

Keywords: Public buildings, DHW plants, solar ordinances, capacity building.

For the achievement of these objectives, experts and researchers from CIRPS were called to contribute to the implementation of the educational and technical activities, in cooperation with the staff of the Italian Department of the Penitentiary Administration (DAP) and with prisoners. Personnel of the Renewable Energies Department of the Ministry of Environment and energy experts of two local cooperatives, TERRE coop. and Reseda Onlus, were also participating in the Working Group.

In 2002, a first pilot project was carried out into Rebibbia jail (Rome) where 250m2 (175 kWth) of flat plate collectors were installed with the support of 10 prisoners to produce DHW for 400 users. Started in 2006, the second phase of the program is organised in two steps. The first step foresees a second pilot initiative in Rebibbia jail aiming at developing and testing a “tool-box” for the implementation of solar projects in jails. Within the second implementation step, the action is going to be gradually extended to other 14 Italian jails located all over Italy.

The program defines the target size of 175 kWth per plant devoted to DHW production and 100% funded by both Ministries. However, jails are encouraged to contribute with additional funds for larger installations, whenever applicable.