Thesis topic: Voltagromine, coupling between solar photovoltaic and agromining to optimise the ecosystem services provided by industrial wastelands

The response to environmental issues related to global changes and in particular the sobriety in the use of scarce resources (soil and fossil energy) is crucial and requires the development of innovative solutions. The development of photovoltaic systems is part of the answer in the context of renewable energy production, but it can consume land surface. In addition, agromining corresponds to the recovery of metals from the cultivation of contaminated wasteland with hyperaccumulating plants.

The objective of this doctoral project is to combine the installation of photovoltaic solar systems and the planting of metal hyperaccumulating plants to ensure both electricity production and the gradual depollution of metal-rich wasteland soils. During this project, the aim will be to determine:

• The best compromise between energy performance (photo-conversion), plant growth (photosynthesis) and metal absorption (soil decontamination)
• The overall ecosystem services provided
• The impact on biodiversity of the implementation of this coupling on these neglected areas
• The technical and economic balance sheet