Bridging the gap between phytoremediation solutions on growing energy crops on contaminated lands and clean biofuel production

GOLD is organized in five work packages (see figure aside) and builds on the three pillars.

The first pillar (WP1) aims to optimize selected energy crops for phytoremediation as well as to develop optimized phytoremediation solutions for decontamination purposes.

In the second pillar (WP2) the contaminated feedstock of WP1 will be converted to clean biofuels by developing two thermochemical based conversion routes; the first on gasification and the second on pyrolysis.

In both routes the main contamination constituents will be collected in a concentrated form: mainly in a vitrified slag with low leachability produced in the gasification in the 1st and in a form of high density biochar in the 2nd.

In the third pillar selected value-chains for biofuels production and land decontamination will be modelled and analysed in terms of cost, sustainability and SDGs for the creation of win-win situations.

Emphasis is being given on the international collaboration towards Innovation Mission Challenge 4 on Biofuels with the participation of three highly consuming countries (Canada, China and India) thoughtout the value-chains.