A revolutionary method of sowing brownfield sites with renewable energy crops has been chosen as one of the best environment projects completed in 2010 throughout Europe.

The "green grass" project is said to have enormous potential by improving disused land while producing an excellent fuel at a time when the world is anxious to find new ways to make green energy.

Scientists at a leading United Kingdom centre that researches into contaminated land and water discovered what types of plants could grow best on these derelict sites in their efforts to find ways of "beautifying" such disused industrial areas.

The work by the BioReGen project team at Teesside University, north-east England has shown that a common plant - reed canary grass - can be made into an excellent fuel for biomass power stations and to heat small buildings.

Recognising this, the European Commission selected the Teesside project for one of its Best LIFE Environment Project awards, and Dr Richard Lord - Reader in environmental geochemistry and sustainability at the university - received the award plaque in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Dr Lord said: "I am delighted for all the project's partners over the last six years, who include staff at the university's Technology Futures Institute, the National Renewable Energy Centre, North East Community Forests and C J Day Associates. It is great to see all our hard work being recognised in this way.

"We are now actively engaged with a number of major industrial landowners who are implementing the results of the research in commercial projects. It's a real conundrum as to how we produce the biomass we need to reduce carbon emissions without affecting food supply," he added.

"We found that reed canary grass grows well on a variety of marginal or brownfield land types which are not currently being used. The European Commission particularly likes the way we were able to replicate the project and spin out real applications with real impacts," he said.

While in Brussels, Dr Lord agreed to be part of a panel of international experts for the LIFE For Our Environment conference session to examine fresh solutions to environmental challenges in the public and private sectors.

The LIFE programme is the European Commission's key financial instrument for the environment. Its Life Environment component aims to support the implementation and updating of European Union environmental policy through the development of novel solutions to environmental challenges and the dissemination of best practices, in the public as well as in the private sector.

The UK BioReGen (Biomass, Remediation, re-Generation) project team experimented with four types of plant: willow trees - the current favourite for biomass power stations - and the miscanthus, reed canary and switch grasses.

The researchers found that reed canary grass can be turned into bricks and pellets and, as well as burning well, the fuel does not add to greenhouse gases or contribute to global warming.

Tests were carried out on sites around the Teesside region and the work was supported by a grant of 1.2 million euros from the EU's LIFE-Environment research programme.

Dr Lord continued: "We have narrowed the [suitable] plants down to reed canary grass because it grows well on poor soils and contaminated industrial sites.

"That is significant because in areas like Teesside, and many similar ones around the country, there are a lot of marginal or brownfield sites on which reed canary grass can be grown.

"Selecting such sites means that the grass can be grown without taking away land which would otherwise be used in food production, a key concern for those involved in the biomass and biofuel sectors," added Dr Lord.

After reached maturity, which takes two years, reed canary grass can be harvested and baled before being turned into bricks and pellets.

Dr Lord continued: "The test burnings have shown that reed canary grass produces a good, clean fuel without picking up contamination from the soil. Reed canary grass has great potential because it offers a suitable use for unsightly brownfield sites while producing an excellent fuel at a time when the world is crying out for new ways of producing green energy.

"Our research also suggests that the end product is improved soil quality and biodiversity at the greened-up sites. We are now examining ways in which we can commercialise this idea and are already talking to a number of major biomass power station operators," he added.