Directive 2008/1/EC (also called IPPC directive) and later, directive 2010/75/UE (also called IED directive) of the European Parliament impose environmental regulations on industrial operators, requiring them to work with authorities before being granted installation permits. According to general principles of the directives, the best available techniques (BAT) must be taken to prevent pollution. Considerations to be taken into account when determining BAT include preventing or minimizing risks of emissions, accidents, and any additional consequences for the environment. Solvay in Rosignano (Italy) is keeping real time control of aspects which are under the scope of these directives or that have an important impact on the environment. The PI System tracks all warning or alarm events that must be justified by plant operators and keeps people informed of the evolving situation."
Speaker
Michele Albicocchi
Michele obtained his University Degree in Computer Science and specialized in Shortest Path Algorithms. He
started to work for Solvay Group in 1988, where he joined the automation technical service. His first experiences
were mixture of industrial and traditional IT, as he worked on process regulation systems, PLC and datalogger
configuration, database and computer programming. He participated in the first projects of connecting DCS and
traditional computers and that probably determined his involvement in PIMS systems since 1991, when Solvay
started to face such new dimension of the IT. In 1995, after around one year of test with a demo version, Michele
installed PI system for the Polyethylene plant in Rosignano. In the subsequent years he extended the usage of PI to all the other
plants and services (included Laboratory) in the factory and later he began to participate in the installation and support of PI for
some other plants around Europe. Michele is presently responsible of the Industrial IT department of Solvay"