In our last newsletter of the year, we wish all our members and partners a very happy and relaxing break. Until next year, you can keep up to date with all things Supergen Bioenergy on Twitter and LinkedIn. 

Videos and presentations from ‘Building a sustainable European biofuel industry’

Presentation slides and recordings from our recent Nordic conference are now available to view on the programme webpage. You can also watch the whole playlist on YouTube. Enjoy!

“What is needed to tackle the climate emergency, and who is responsible?”

Supergen Bioenergy Hub Director Patricia Thornley answers these burning questions in The Conversation’s 'I Need To Know' series. In just one day, the article had already been republished by 61 outlets worldwide and twice mentioned on the BBC.

Submit your abstract for the Supergen Bioenergy Hub-curated sessions at FERIA 2020

The Supergen Bioenergy Hub will curate two sessions at the first FERIA (Fuel and Energy Research and its Applications) conference, to be held at the University of Nottingham from 14 to 16 September 2020: one on liquids from biomass and one on gases from biomass. Please submit your abstract by 12noon on Friday 10 January.  

Waste gasification workshop: Commercial application and R&D activities

We recently co-hosted a workshop with the International Energy Agency Task 33 on Gasification of Biomass and Waste with participants from academia and industry across UK, Europe and the USA. The presentations, which are now available online, showed developments in technologies for processing wastes and plastics and highlighted some important lessons for SMEs in the industry, as well as opportunities for innovation. 

Short course on ‘Energy from Biomass Combustion’, Leeds, 14-16 January

This three-day course from the University of Leeds and Supergen Bioenergy Hub is a great networking opportunity and will feature more than 10 guest speakers. Register to come and hear about the challenges and issues in energy delivery from biomass.

New report: ‘Progressing new voices and gender balance in energy research’

Over the past two and a half years, the UK Energy Research Centre has managed £1.5m of Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council funding through the Whole Systems Networking Fund. It has worked with stakeholders from universities, public-private partnerships, and NGOs, to pilot a model to diversify the UK Research and Innovation energy portfolio through inclusiveness, encouraging gender balance and the nurturing of new voices and ideas. Read the report.

Supergen ORE Hub launches interactive webtool to bring together UK offshore renewable energy research 

The Supergen Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Hub has launched an interactive research landscape to showcase research across the three sectors of offshore wind, wave and tidal energy. 

New CPD course on practical process engineering, Birmingham, various dates

This course from the Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute (EBRI) at Aston University combines classes, workshops and live demonstrations in a 1 MW bioenergy process plant for combined heat and power generation.

How to write highly cited papers, Wallingford 15 January and Lancaster 29 January

This interactive workshop from the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology will boost your confidence and ability to write a great science paper that will be cited again and again. More information.

Strategic Priorities Fund Clean Air scoping workshop, 28 January, Leeds and 11 February, Birmingham

These events are an opportunity for the UK Research and Innovation stakeholder community to engage with the programme funders to learn more about the aims of the programme and the research and innovation already underway, and to shape thinking on the scope of future funding opportunities. Register by 6 January.

Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) conference and fringe events, 5-6 February, Glasgow

This year's conference is expected to attract around 500 bio-based professionals, academics, and students from around Europe to attend, present, network, make new connections and identify the potential for the industrial biotechnology sector in the UK. The conference will be supported by a host of fringe events.

Supergen Energy Networks Hub Risk Day, 4 March, Glasgow

This is an annual seminar for researchers involved in all aspects of risk and uncertainty analysis applied to current and future power and energy systems.

Calling all industrialists to the University of Manchester’s Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science Industry Day, 23 April, Manchester

The Industry Day will showcase the department’s capabilities and will give industrial partners an opportunity to share their perspective of the challenges and problems industry faces.

International Conference on Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis - PYRO 2020, Ghent, 10-15 May

The conference programme includes topics varying from fundamental studies and advanced analytical techniques, to pyrolysis applications in a commercial setting. The conference is not limited to applied biomass pyrolysis for renewable energy; it will also be dedicated for a significant part to the thermal decomposition of materials like coal, plastics / polymers, and composites.

Scottish Enterprise research and development grants

If your company is looking to research and develop a new product, process or service – or significantly improve an existing one – these R&D grants can offer a range of support for your project.

PhD studentship at Aston University: Upgrading lignocellulose waste biomass using thermochemical and biological conversion routes

Applications are invited for a three-year postgraduate studentship to be undertaken within the European Bioenergy Research Institute at Aston University, where the Supergen Bioenergy Hub is based. The successful applicant will join an established experimental group working on biomass conversion and upgrading of products into high-value chemicals. 
The position is available to start in October, April or July, subject to negotiation.

BBSRC opportunity to collaborate with Aston University

Do you want to support mutually beneficial research between business and Aston University? Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) funding is available for PhD studentships – if you're interested, get in touch.

Newton Fund fellowship opportunities

Two Newton Fund fellowships are due to open early 2020. If you're working in bioenergy and interested, please get in touch at supergen-bioenergy@aston.ac.uk and we can help you find the right partners or host for your application in the UK.

IBioIC scale-up accelerator 2019

This open call for projects gives SMEs the opportunity to develop, optimise and scale-up their bioprocesses in partnership with the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) Scale-Up Team, utilising specialist equipment within the Bioprocessing Scale-Up Centres at Heriot Watt University and the University of Strathclyde.

Innovate UK Smart Grants: October 2019

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is investing up to £25 million in the best game-changing and commercially viable innovative or disruptive ideas. All proposals must be business focused. Deadline: 8 January

POST's Parliamentary Academic Fellowship Scheme

The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) is Parliament's in-house source of independent, balanced and accessible analysis of public-policy issues related to science and technology. The deadline to apply for the fellowship scheme is 19 January.

Reducing the impacts of plastic waste in developing countries

UK Research and Innovation invites proposals for international, interdisciplinary, collaborative research projects under the Reducing the Impacts of Plastic Waste in Developing Countries call. This programme is funded through the Global Challenges Research Fund. Deadline: 20 January

2020 MacRobert Award for UK engineering innovation

The award recognises outstanding engineering innovation combined with proven commercial success and tangible social benefit. Deadline: 31 January

Royal Academy of Engineering Industrial Fellowships

These fellowships are an invaluable opportunity for individuals to work on a collaborative research project between industry and academia. Fellowships can last anywhere between three to 24 months, full or part-time and the academy will make a contribution of up to £50k per annum to cover the basic salary cost of the applicant. They are open to all engineering disciplines and collaborations are welcome with companies of any size, including SMEs. Deadline: February

Royal Academy of Engineering Chairs in Emerging Technologies

These highly prestigious awards aim to identify global research visionaries who will lead major research, translation and innovation programmes around key emerging technologies, to facilitate technology commercialisation and the creation of significant UK economic and social benefit. Deadline: 11 February

NERC highlight topics sixth round – proposals invited

The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) invites proposals for the sixth round of highlight topics, including biodegradable plastics as emerging environmental pollutants. Notifications of intent should be submitted by 20 February. 

UK Research and Innovation Landscape Decisions Fellowships

UK Research and Innovation invite proposals to this call on the Strategic Priorities Fund programme on 'Landscape Decisions: Towards a new framework for using land assets'. Deadline: 26 March