GOLD

Phytoremediation involves the removal of contaminants from soil using plants. The EU-funded GOLD project will employ bioenergy crops to decontaminate the soil they are grown in and then use them as a source of biofuel. Consortium members will identify crops for phytoremediation and decontamination and convert the contaminated feedstock into clean biofuels through two different thermochemical-based routes: gasification and pyrolysis. In both routes, the main contamination constituents will be collected in a concentrated form: as a vitrified slag with low leachability produced during gasification and in the form of high-density biochar created during pyrolysis. Finally, selected value-chains for biofuel production and land decontamination will be modelled and analysed regarding cost, sustainability and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Duration: 1 May 2021 - 30 April 2025