The initiative shows how combining research and innovation can reduce CO₂ emissions and open new pathways for the decarbonization of industry and transport.
The PYSOLO Project, funded by the Horizon Europe program, aims to develop an innovative process to transform biomass into bio-oil, biochar, and pyro-gas using concentrated solar power. This technology seeks to replace fossil fuels and significantly reduce the carbon footprint.
During the first half of the project, the consortium —composed of nine partners from four European countries and led by nova-Institut GmbH— achieved key milestones. The pyrolysis reactors have been adapted, the most suitable heat carrier materials selected, and the first demonstration plants built. Preliminary results show a 25% improvement in carbon efficiency and an 8% reduction in bio-oil production costs compared to current technologies.
The Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia (CTFC) is responsible for selecting the most suitable biomass for pyrolysis. Forest residues and agricultural by-products such as grape pomace and olive mill waste have been studied, particularly in Spain, Italy, and Greece, to identify the best potential sites for pyrolysis plants based on resource availability.
Next steps
Upcoming objectives include completing the overall system analysis with different configurations and carrying out a detailed techno-economic and environmental (LCA) assessment. The process is expected to achieve negative CO₂ emissions at full scale.
Project coordinator Marco Binotti (Politecnico di Milano) stated: “I am very pleased with the progress. Our goal is to have all key system components ready by the end of the project and to demonstrate the environmental and economic feasibility of the concept within the European context.”
Event in Zaragoza
To showcase the current results with a special focus on biochar, the project consortium invites stakeholders from industry, research, agriculture, and policy to an event on November 6, 2025, in Zaragoza, Spain (onsite and online). The program will include a guided tour of the fluidized-bed reactor at ICB-CSIC and a networking lunch.
More information and registration: https://pysolo.eu/news-media/
Last modified: 25 September 2025
