Umbria is one of the 20 Italian Regions, it is located in central Italy and is the only peninsular region landlocked. The territory is mainly composed of hilly areas (71%), the remaining part is mountainous.

The region is rich in water and the Tiber, third Italian River, runs from north to south, including its many tributaries. Nera river flows in the south: one of its tributaries, Velino River, forms the Marmore Falls, the highest in Europe(169 metres); Trasimeno Lake, fourth in order of area, located entirely within Umbria Region.

Umbria is divided into the province of Perugia, the chief town, and Terni. Other important towns are Foligno, Città di Castello, Gubbio, Spoleto, Assisi.
The region covers an area of 8.456 square kilometres and has a population of about 900.000 inhabitants, 43% living in urban areas and 57% inhabitants living in rural areas.

The economy has seen over the years the rise of the industrial sector, as opposed to agriculture. The main crops are those of the olive trees, the vine and tobacco, and focuses on breeding pigs and cattle. One of the typical products is the truffle that, especially in the area of Norcia, is of excellent quality. Industrial areas are concentrated in Perugia and Terni. Most relevant industries are hydropower, steel, mechanical, chemical, textile, food and graphics publishing. Tourism is bloom thanks to the presence of significant historical and artistic centers, such as Assisi and Orvieto.

Agroenergies (biomass) represent for Umbria Region less than 5% of the regional energy consumption. It has been assessed that they can satisfy up to 25% of the energy demand with the following figures by utilising about 150.000 ha: 70 MWe of electric power plant, 500 MWt of heat, 0,6 Mtep/year of biofuels. 

The BEn project and Regional Energy Register is related to national and regional plan for the diffusion of alternative energy.

At regional level the Region Umbria, has defined a Regional Energy Plan (P.E.R.) that finds one of its most important aspects in the objective to increase considerably the use of alternative energies, but it shows a first restraint in the lack about an effective policy to inform SMEs and to use the most recent technologies in coherence with the territory vocation.

Other guidelines come from the next planning regarding regional P.S.R. (Rural Development Plan) 2007-2013, that encourages rural SMEs to invest in energy production. In this context,   energetic crops and breeding waste treatment, give a innovative contribute to diversify the rural economy through the SMEs multifunctionality, offering a big push to the sustainable development. The most important parameters to reach a suitable success to develop RESs are: the SMEs involvement, the revenues, the raw material and the other costs, the implementation of all the available technologies

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