The Research Center for Technologies, Energy and Industrial Processes (Cintecx) hosted this week the launch of the Biolin project (Circular valorization of biomass in linear infrastructure with predictive management and AI), funded under the Nexos call of the Xunta de Galicia and coordinated by researcher Pedro Arias, from the Geotech group at Cintecx.
The project brings together a multidisciplinary team involving researchers from several UVigo groups, under the coordination of the company Ingeniería Insitu. It aims to address a growing challenge: the management of biomass that proliferates around critical infrastructures such as roads, railway lines, or energy facilities, where European and national regulations require safety zones to be kept clear.
From waste to high value-added resource
The main objective of Biolin is to transform this residual biomass—typically treated as waste and associated with high maintenance costs for public administrations and managing companies—into value-added products, in line with the principles of the circular economy. Through a transformation process, the project proposes the production of biochar and pyroligneous acid, two compounds with applications in agriculture, soil improvement, filtration, sustainable manufacturing, and carbon capture.
To achieve this goal, the project will integrate advanced remote sensing techniques to accurately characterize the available biomass, identify its typology, and assess its valorization potential. Based on this information, extraction can be optimally planned, reducing associated costs and improving the efficiency of the entire process, from removal to transformation into marketable products.
The consortium is coordinated by the company Ingeniería Insitu and includes the participation of Excavaciones y Desbroces Rocha (A Coruña), specialized in technical soils and environmental services. From the University of Vigo, three research groups are involved: Geotech, responsible for scientific coordination; Biosuv, focused on bioprocesses and sustainability—both part of Cintecx—together with the Hidroforest group, specialized in forest management and hydrology.
