The final event of the European H2020 Project "GOLD" (Growing energy crops on contaminated land for biofuels and soil remediation) will take place on 29 April 2025 at the Centro Residenziale Universitario di Bertinoro (CEUB) of the University of Bologna. This hybrid-format workshop will bring together institutional representatives, industry professionals, academics, and researchers to discuss perspectives and opportunities in advanced biofuels and phytoremediation for managing contaminated lands. The "GOLD" project, coordinated by Prof. Andrea Monti from the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL), involved a four-year effort by a team of researchers. They experimented with techniques and industrial crops for phytoremediation of contaminated agricultural soils, adopting a multidisciplinary and innovative approach aimed at site remediation and the simultaneous production of low ILUC-risk biofuels from lignocellulosic crops. The event will synthesize the research outcomes achieved over these years, focusing on:
· Optimization of industrial crops on contaminated lands for contaminant extraction.
· Advanced processes for pretreatment, conversion, and contaminant removal.
· Improved approaches along the value chain.
· Environmental, economic, and socio-economic evaluations of optimal value chains. The agenda includes international sessions, a roundtable discussion, and a final open forum with attendees. Participation is free and open to the public (subject to seating availability). Online registration is required via the form provided on the event's official website. For more information about the CEUB and “GOLD” Project, please visit the official website: https://www.gold-h2020.eu/ https://www.ceub.it/
