Devil’s Valley in Italy: What supposedly inspired Dante's 'Inferno' is also where geothermal energy is being harnessed

Larderello, Italy – The Tuscan region is known for many things: the birthplace of Renaissance, architectural wonders like the Piazza del Duomo or Michaelangelo’s David, and gastronomic trips to restaurants offering freshly-made pasta and pizza.

Few are, however, aware that the Tuscan region in Larderello is also home to a geologically active area known as the Devil’s Valley (Valle del Diavolo).

Welcome to Devil's Valley. All photos: Hon Sophia Balod

The region got its name from the occasional outbursts of steam trapped below the surface. Centuries ago, this steam is harnessed by the communities in the famous Roman sulphur hot baths. This valley is also believed to be the inspiration of Italian poet Dante Alighieri’s "Inferno".

In 1904, billowing steam from the ground was successfully converted to electricity as five light bulbs were lit during a pioneering experiment on geothermal energy. 

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In 1911, the world’s first geothermal power plant was built in Larderello. Today, Italy is one of the leaders in geothermal energy production in the world, producing a net capacity of 900 MW which makes up 10 percent of total global geothermal energy.

“We need to tackle the challenges of climate change by developing local and green energy. In Tuscany, geothermal energy covers 30 percent of our needs,” Federica Fratoni, Councilor of the Environment for the Tuscan Region, says during the Greenaccord 14th International Forum for the Protection of Nature.

Geothermal plants in Devil's Valley.

Larderello’s picturesque and unique landscape consists of hot springs, wells, and acres of land extending for miles, punctuated by 34 giant geothermal plants emitting steam from the ground.

To know more about its history, visitors can visit the Larderello Geothermal Museum which houses original models and equipment used in geothermal production through the years. The Tuscan region opens Larderello’s geothermal area as a tourism site to promote clean energy, attracting 27,963 visitors in 2014.

Local communities benefit from the boost in tourism in the Devil’s Valley. Breweries and cheese factories are proudly marketing their beer and cheese as products of geothermal power.

Italian cheeses made with geothermal energy

The “Renewable Energy Food communities” have also developed in Larderello as way of promoting renewable and sustainable industries.

During our visit, we were able to try a variety of locally-produced cheeses such as parmigiano-reggiano, provolone, feta, and mozzarella. Craft beers such as Magma, Geyser, and Sulferea are also produced by a green start-up brewery. The company uses geothermal steam to power its production.

Successfully harnessing the steam from the ground took many decades to perfect.  But with technology, it has become easier to study and utilize geothermal power. The Devil’s Valley, once feared by some locals for the outbursts of steam erupting from the ground, is now a source of livelihood and electricity.

The Devil's Valley has awesome sources of livelihood, too.

The small town of Larderello proves that clean energy is not only a sustainable source of energy to power communities; it is also economical and beneficial to local businesses. — LA, GMA News