Remediation of Fly Ash Dumpsites Through Bioenergy Crop Plantation and Generation: A Review

Abstract Utilization of fly ash, a byproduct of coal combustion in thermal power plants, is a sustainable use of waste for power generation. Discarding fly ash as waste in landfills/ash ponds may not only be regarded as a loss of valuable land and essential nutrients, but also pose a significant health hazard due to fine air-borne particles and leaching of heavy metals. The presence of essential macro- and micronutrients and its porosity make fly ash an excellent soil amendment for plant growth as an organic nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) supplementation. As harmful heavy metals make fly ash unsafe for agronomy, bioenergy crop plantation and energy generation from different thermochemical conversions of the biomass would be an ideal method for coal fly ash utilization through which carbon-neutral fuel can be generated from fossil fuel, thus reducing climate change impact. This review summarizes the development of bioenergy plantation and silviculture at fly ash dumpsites with an integrated phyto-bio-rhizo-mycoremediation approach and assesses utilization of the valuable biomass for thermal energy, electricity, and biofuel generation with inclusion of a SWOT analysis (a strategic technique typically used to help identify the strength, weakness, opportunities, and threat). Bioenergy crop production through integrated phytomanagement can generate billions of dollars of wealth from waste and provides a sustainable solution for fly ash management, with environmental, economic, and social benefits.