Piave: tracce del passato a confronto. Verso una transizione energetica futura

The Piave River basin is a vital source of hydroelectric energy for Veneto, shaped by centuries of anthropogenic interventions to harness water as an energy resource. Historically, the Piave served as a multifunctional ecological system, enabling navigation, irrigation, and energy production. This contribution critically examines the basin’s energy infrastructure and architecture, identifying three phases: watermills in early industrialization, centralized hydroelectric networks in the 20th century, and a shift toward decentralized renewable energy in the 21st century. The evolution of the Piave’s energy system reflects tensions between ecological sustainability and technological progress. Today, the rise of micro-hydroelectric plants poses new challenges, requiring integrated planning to balance functionality, environmental impact, and territorial cohesion. Revisiting historical energy structures offers insights for designing systems aligned with climate change imperatives and the river’s ecological complexity. This work advocates for a unified vision of the Piave as a multifunctional socio-ecological network.