La piave, imparando dal passato per una transizione energetica futura

The Triveneto macroregion is characterized by a wealth of water resources and a capillary network that, since the advent of hydraulic mills in the XI Century, has allowed the development of productive activities through a continuous process of anthropization works. In this context, the Piave river is an important case as its basin is characterized by a centuries-old overlapping of processes related to the exploitation of river’s water as an energy resource. Piave’s hydroelectric industry currently represents one of the Veneto region's most reliable sources of hydropower supply. First and foremost, the Piave river is an ecological network that has accommodated different functions alongside the centuries, often through a precarious equilibrium. The paper proposes an updated reading on the Piave ecological and infrastructural spaces, by restoring the many relationships between the river system and the energy network, in light of ongoing climate change and the climate neutrality goals set by the European Union by 2050 This study aims to lay the groundwork for drawing future scenarios characterized by a balanced coexistence between renewable energy development, territory, ecology and communities’ network, through an inter-scalar and multi-temporal approach. The paper proposes, on the one hand, a critical review of the repertoire of energy infrastructures and architectural artifacts present in the Piave river basin; such elements constitute a unique heritage that if properly reconsidered can still offer a background of references in order to design new devices to generate energy in a cohesive relationship with the river ecological system. On the other hand, the paper interprets Piave as an ecological and social network, relocating it within a certain international literature on landscapes.