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Supergen Bioenergy Hub news
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Webinar explores temporal and accounting aspects of greenhouse gas emissions
On 3 June the Supergen Bioenergy Hub ran a webinar exploring the different methodologies for accounting greenhouse gases in respect of bioenergy and biomaterials, which saw Sam Cooper (University of Bath) and Andrew Welfle (University of Manchester) introduce findings from two recently published Supergen Bioenergy Hub policy briefs: ‘Greenhouse gas emissions – timing matters!’ and ‘Accounting whole life cycle bioenergy emissions within the UNFCCC emission accounting framework’. The webinar also included presentations from Michael Goldsworthy, Sustainability Manager at Drax, and Nicola Noponen, Technical Adviser at the Roundtable of Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), providing an industry perspective on the topic. Presentations and a recording are available from the Supergen Bioenergy Hub website.
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New bioenergy videos for public engagement
The Biomass Biorefinery Network (BBNet) have produced a set of four videos which explore carbon emissions, fermentation, scaling-up from lab to industry and the UK bioeconomy, and include contributions from Supergen Bioenergy Hub Director, Patricia Thornley.
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Update on Supergen Bioenergy stakeholder engagement
Catriona Heaton, Stakeholder Engagement Manager for the Supergen Bioenergy Hub, is going on maternity leave on 1 July. During her maternity leave Dan Taylor (d.taylor2@aston.ac.uk) will be covering her role – please get in touch with Dan if you have any engagement-related opportunities going forward.
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Update on SHARE Jiscmail mailing list
We’re aware that for some people emails from the early career researchers’ SHARE mailing list (SHARE-NETWORK@JISCMAIL.AC.UK) are being sent straight to the junk folder. This may be as a result of the Jiscmail list servers moving to a new data centre, resulting in new IP addresses. If you haven’t been getting recent SHARE emails, you might want to send the information below to your IT department and ask them to ‘whitelist’ this sender.
All messages from Jiscmail mailing lists are now being sent from a different IP address range, these are: 52.156.253.32/28. (Previously this was 212.247.25.0/25.) The mail server name is procyon.ease.lsoft.se
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Supergen Bioenergy Hub events
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Supergen ECR cross-hub webinar: Wellbeing and working from home, 2 July
Following the success of the first ever early career researcher (ECR) cross-hub webinar, we are holding another session on Zoom, this time around wellbeing and working from home. The webinar will be delivered by Matt Dix, who has a broad range of experience gained over 25 years as a coach, counsellor and training manager within organisations ranging from policing, higher education, the voluntary/charitable sector and the private/commercial sector. Matt will assist you in reflecting upon your own personal resilience in times of challenge and explore the significance of our thoughts, behaviours and language in the context of our mental health and wellbeing.
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Supergen Bioenergy Hub at EUBCE 2020, 6-9 July, online
EUBCE (the European Biomass Conference and Exhibition) 2020 on ‘Bioeconomy’s role in the post-pandemic economic recovery’ will be taking place virtually between 6-9 July, and several of our researchers will be taking part, including Patricia Thornley, Mirjam Röder, Samira Garcia Freites and Andrew Welfle. Please get in touch if you are also involved.
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Funding and opportunities from Supergen Bioenergy Hub
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Calling all bioenergy early career researchers: Help create our new Bioenergy App
We’re starting work on a new Bioenergy App and we want to turn your research into online materials for public engagement at events, exhibitions and conferences, including those linked to COP26. Getting involved in developing the app will be an opportunity for you to promote your research and turn your outputs into interactive features such as maps, graphs and diagrams. We’ll be running a series of engagement activities over July and August to develop ideas and content. A representative from the BBC will be on hand at some of these events to provide expertise and guidance. If you’re interested in getting involved, please complete the expression of interest form online and send it to andrew.welfle@manchester.ac.uk as soon as possible.
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Supergen Bioenergy Hub rapid response funding call interim deadline
Our rapid response funding is still available, and applications are being accepted for review on an ongoing basis. Applications can be submitted for projects up to £25,000 in value, and funding is intended to support the UK’s bioenergy research community in responding to industrial and policy challenges that arise during the lifetime of the Hub. The next interim deadline is 17 August.
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News and updates from our partners
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Key trends in bioenergy development in Sub-Saharan Africa
A recent webinar showcased the initial scoping and findings of the Bioenergy for Sustainable Energy Access in Africa (BSEAA) project, which is investigating how to improve the effectiveness and commercial viability of bioenergy technology in Sub-Saharan Africa. The research element of the project is led by Mirjam Röder from Aston University, whilst Patricia Thornley and Katie Chong, also from the Supergen Bioenergy Hub, will support the project with technical expertise and advice.
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DecarboN8 Future Transport Fuels Webinar Series
In the first of this series from the DecarboN8 network, Andrew Welfle from University of Manchester spoke about bioenergy and the role it can play in to the UK's decarbonisation strategy. Slides from the presentation are available on Slideshare and a video of the presentation can be found on YouTube.
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ERA ‘Big Ideas’ - The National Centre for Decarbonisation of Heat, 1 July, 10am-12pm
The Energy Research Accelerator (ERA) are holding the latest webinar in their ‘Big Ideas’ series, focusing on the development of a national centre for decarbonisation of heat. The webinar is being led by Professor Martin Freer, Director of the Energy Research Accelerator, who will be joined by academics from across the ERA network, along with experts from industry and the public sector. The session will address the challenges to developing a centre of its kind, explore the latest technologies available for decarbonisation, and asks how businesses, government and academia can work together to decarbonise heat.
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Future energy systems webinar series from Carbon Trust, 9 July
This three-part webinar series, hosted by the Carbon Trust, discusses the role of flexibility in an energy system and its importance in achieving net zero targets in the UK.
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Knowledge Transfer Network Agri-Tech Catalyst Competition Round 10 – information webinars, 9 July
Funding is available through the competition for agri-tech projects on food chain innovations in Africa. These projects need to be delivered by a UK and an African organisation working together. Find out more at an information webinar on 9 July.
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Energy from Waste and the Circular Economy Webinar, 29 July, 2-3.30pm
The University of Birmingham’s Energy Institute and the Energy Research Accelerator are holding a webinar in follow-up to the recent publication of the Energy from Waste and the Circular Economy report, which Patricia Thornley, Director of the Supergen Bioenergy Hub, contributed to. The event will centre on the role of energy from waste in supporting the transition to achieve net zero by 2050. Presenters will also highlight the recommendations being made to government in relation to heat, circularity, industry, technology and support for local and regional authorities.
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Business Green’s Net Zero Festival, 30 September - 2 October 2020
Paul Polman, co-founder of IMAGINE and former CEO of Unilever will be joining Business Green’s Net Zero Festival as a headline speaker. Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Channel 4 journalist, will be hosting the event and the line-up also includes Chris Stark of the Committee on Climate Change, Green Party MP Caroline Lucas and Dr Emily Shuckburgh of the University of Cambridge.
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Funding and opportunities from our partners
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Decarbonising Heating and Cooling 2 call now open
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) joint call for funding is now open to support proposals for decarbonisation of heating and/or cooling. Proposals must be at least 50% within the remit of EPSRC or at least 50% within the remit of NERC and be interdisciplinary, in that all proposals must include an economic and/or social science component. An intent to submit must be submitted by 23 July 2020 at 4pm in order to be able to submit a full proposal to this call.
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APC 16: Developing the UK’s low-carbon automotive capability
The Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) invests up to £30 million, 3 times a year, in collaborative research and development (R&D) projects. These are pre-production match-funded projects. APC 16 is looking for projects that support the UK’s long-term capabilities through securing long-term R&D investment, and projects that can be achieved through its associated supply chain in the design, build and manufacture of zero tailpipe emission vehicles. The deadline for submissions is 8 July 2020.
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IBioIC Scale Up Accelerator Project call for SMEs
This open call for projects gives small to medium-size enterprises the unique opportunity to develop, optimise and scale-up their bioprocesses in partnership with the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre’s Scale-Up Team.
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Blue Bio Value acceleration programme
Blue Bio Value is a business accelerator programme dedicated to blue bioeconomy, who are seeking innovative projects that represent a business opportunity along the value chain of marine bioresources, including, but not limited to, biotechnology-based projects. Applications are open until 15 July 2020.
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EPSRC Decarbonising Transport trough Electrification Network Plus (DTE Network+) first funding call
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funded DTE Network+ has announced their first funding call. Applications to the first call for proposals should be submitted by 5pm on 17 August 2020.
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Energy from Biomass Combustion Course, 12-14 January 2021
This course is ideal for anyone needing a sound understanding of the fundamentals and practicalities of the basics of solid biomass combustion; dedicated biomass installations; solid biomass for electricity generation; biogas and landfill gas for process heat and power generation and sustainability of biomass supply chains.
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Thermal Treatment of Municipal Waste Course, 26-26 January 2021
This course provides an introduction for all those considering the thermal treatment option for the disposal of municipal and solid waste and give a detailed coverage of the various thermal treatment processes and associated issues. The course covers regulations; emissions control, sampling and analysis; technologies; health and economic issues and much more.
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