Value chain optimization
In GOLD, 44 phytoremediation solutions will be developed by combining different contaminated sites, energy crops and phytoremediation practices. These combinations will be modelled in terms of biomass quantity and quality and land decontamination efficiency, and the best performing will be selected as the optimized ones.
The assessment will include:
- Mapping of the contaminated sites to estimate replication potentials in Europe
- Selection and modelling of the optimal value-chains, to assess which energy crops are suitable to decontaminate the sites, what biomass and biofuel potentials could be expected, and which environmental and economic gains can be reached
- Development of strategies and recommendations about how the developed solutions can contribute to the sustainable development goals (SDGs)
Land decontamination will be estimated:
- on the uptake of metal(loid)s in the produced biomass for inorganic pollutants
- on the decrease of the concentration of contaminants in the soil for organic pollutants
In both cases, the yields and quality of the biomass will also be analyzed, since the produced biomass will be used for clean biofuel production with low ILUC risks. The best performing phytoremediation solutions will be selected for replication in other sites having similar contamination problems and climatic conditions. The phytoremediation solutions will be combined with the two conversion routes developed in GOLD and 16 value chains (4 per energy crop) will be selected, modelled and analysed in terms of cost and sustainability through an integrated sustainability assessment. This will ensure win-win situations for both biofuels production and decontamination of the polluted lands, thus bridging the gap between clean biofuels production and advanced phytoremediation solutions.
