Menu

Impacts

Three main impacts will be jointly generated by GOLD’s outcomes, namely:

1.

Create a win-win situation by bringing polluted land back to agricultural production through cost reduction and improved phytoremediation

2.

Produce clean biofuels with low ILUC risks from selected energy crops grown on contaminated lands

3.

Promote the international collaboration towards the Mission Innovation Challenge 4 on advanced biofuels

In addition, through the developed optimized phytoremediation strategies and solutions, GOLD contributes to several Sustainable Development Goals, namely:
GOLD_SDG_icon_02
SDG2
Zero hunger
By producing feedstock for biofuels from contaminated land under on-going remediation, useful agricultural land will be released for food and feed production.
GOLD_SDG_icon_03
SDG3
Good health and well being
Proposed innovative phytoremediation strategies and optimised solutions will restore degraded/contaminated land, contributing to reduce the exposure to hazardous chemicals and to contaminated groundwater and soil, bringing benefits in terms of human health.
GOLD_SDG_icon_06
SDG6
Clean water and sanitation

Proposed phytoremediation strategies and optimised solutions will reduce leaching of nutrients and pollutants, and will improve the control, transformation /dissipation, and/or management of organic compounds in soil and groundwater.

GOLD_SDG_icon_07
SDG7
Affordable and clean energy

Production of clean fuels from biomass and the use of GOLD innovative conversion technologies will support the increase of the proportion of the population with primary reliance on clean fuels and technology.

GOLD_SDG_icon_08
SDG8
Decent work and economic growth
The restoration of contaminated soils and the output of biofuel feedstock will create opportunities to increase the number of jobs in crop production, logistics, conversion and distribution of biofuels.
GOLD_SDG_icon_09
SDG9
Industry, innovation and infrastructure
GOLD’s activities will support the development of innovative entrepreneurship by exploiting the biomass of the energy crop for the production of clean biofuels through state-of-the-art processes and technologies.
GOLD_SDG_icon_12
SDG12
Responsible production and consumption

Cultivating energy crops in contaminated lands following a low input management will reduce the material and ecological footprint of the produced biomass.

GOLD_SDG_icon_13
SDG13
Climate action

The use of harvested biomass for clean biofuel production will support the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

GOLD_SDG_icon_15
SDG15
Life on land

Proposed innovative phytoremediation strategies and optimised solutions will support the restoration of degraded/contaminated lands and soils.