Biomass & Bioenergy : Editor-in-Chief

Environmental trade-offs associated with bioenergy from agri-residues in sub-tropical regions: A case study of the Colombian coffee sector

(Stop) burning for biogas. Enabling positive sustainability trade-offs with business models for biogas from rice straw

A review of the role of bioenergy modelling in renewable energy research & policy development

The potential of coffee stems gasification to provide bioenergy for coffee farms: a case study in the Colombian coffee sector

Understanding the timing and variation of greenhouse gas emissions of forest bioenergy systems

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Aston University

Patricia Thornley works in assessing the environmental, economic and social imapcts of renewable energy technologies, particularly bioenergy systems. She has experience of working in the commercial sector in power generation as well as in academia. She leads the EPSRC SUPERGEN Bioenergy hub (www.supergen-bioenergy.net) and is editor-in-chief of the Elsevier journal Biomass and Bioenergy.

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‘What is needed to tackle the climate emergency, and who is responsible?’

Aim to drastically cut waste burned at Tyseley incinerator - dubbed city's 'largest CO2 emitter'

Plants Will Get Boost From Rising CO2 Emissions but Only for Another 80 Years, Scientists Warn

India’s bold move towards emission control

industry-and-researchers-call-for-action-to-tackle-climate-impact-of-organic-carbonbased-chemicals

Director of EBRI, Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute

Call led by members of Supergen Bioenergy Hub, based at Aston University  They highlight that carbon-based chemicals cannot be decarbonised but can be defossilised  They want a transition to renewable carbon sources such as biomass, recycled carbon, and carbon dioxide.  Director of Supergen Bioenergy Hub, Professor Patricia Thornley  Industry experts and university researchers have joined together to ask the government to address the climate impact of organic, carbon-based chemicals.

While demand for fossil fuels as energy is expected to fall in the coming decades, the 
petrochemicals sector is set to grow significantly according to experts and is set out in a 2018 report by the International Energy Agency.

Members of the Supergen Bioenergy Hub which is based at Aston University and the Biomass Biorefinery Network believe the issue has yet to receive proper attention and is calling for a strategy that addresses this key component of our greenhouse gas emissions. They want a move to a more circular economy, managing supply and demand levels and transitioning away from fossil feedstocks which are raw materials required for some industrial processes.

In their paper Carbon for chemicals How can biomass contribute to the defossilisation of the chemicals sector? they highlight that carbon-based chemicals cannot be decarbonised but can be defossilised through a transition to renewable carbon sources such as biomass, recycled carbon and carbon dioxide.

Many products in modern society contain carbon such as pharmaceuticals, plastics, textiles, food additives, cosmetics, and cleaning products. These chemicals are derived from fossil feedstocks, so they are classed as petrochemicals. As a result, they contribute to global greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Carbon is embedded in organic chemical products and released when they break down at end-of-life, for example through incineration.

To address the emissions from carbon in chemicals and accelerate the development of bio-based chemicals, the group want a cross-party consensus to support a sustainable chemical system.

Director of Supergen Bioenergy Hub, Professor Patricia Thornley, said: “We need to consider the UK’s future feedstock and chemicals production and use, and how it relates to net zero, agriculture, environment, economy, trade, and just transition policy objectives. There are opportunities here for the UK to lead the way on sustainable chemical production, but we need to carefully plan a roadmap for the transition, that delivers opportunities around jobs and the economy as well as sustainable greenhouse gas reductions. 

“There is a definite role for biomass here. But it is essential that any future use of biomass in the chemicals sector is underpinned by rigorous, trusted, and enforceable sustainability governance to build confidence, deliver sustainability benefits, and minimise negative impacts. That requires improvements in sustainability governance and regulation.

“We think there are real economic and trade opportunities by the UK accelerating sustainable chemicals. At the moment bio-based chemicals, and chemicals derived from other renewable carbon sources, are not being expanded in the UK because there are no explicit incentives that prioritise them over fossil-based production.”

The group argues that the UK has significant academic and industrial research expertise to underpin the development of sustainable bio-based products and could be a global leader in bio-based products and sustainability governance. They believe that to date little of this has manifested as UK-based scale-up and manufacturing, whilst there are numerous examples of UK-led research being scaled up elsewhere. The paper was delivered at a webinar on 7 August.

Notes to Editors

Carbon for chemicals How can biomass contribute to the defossilisation of the chemicals sector? https://www.supergen-bioenergy.net/output/carbon-for-chemicals-how-can-biomass-contribute-to-the-defossilisation-of-the-chemicals-sector-policy-briefing/


Author: Joanna Sparks (formerly Aston University)
With contributions from: 
Cristiane Scaldaferri (formerly Aston University), 
Andrew Welfle (University of Manchester), 
Patricia Thornley (Aston University), 
Ashley Victoria (University of Leeds), 
Caspar Donnison (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory), 
Jason Hallett (Imperial College London), 
Nilay Shah (Imperial College London), 
Mirjam Rӧder (Aston University), 
Paul Mines (Biome Bioplastics), 
David Bott (Society of Chemical Industry), 
Adrian Higson (NNFCC), 
Neil Bruce (University of York) 

2018 International Energy Agency report https://www.iea.org/reports/the-future-of-petrochemicals

https://www.supergen-bioenergy.net/
The Supergen Bioenergy Hub works with academia, industry, government, and societal stakeholders to develop sustainable bioenergy systems that support the UK’s transition to an affordable, resilient, low-carbon energy future. The Hub is funded jointly by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) under grant EP/Y016300/1 and is part of the wider Supergen Programme.

www.bbnet-nibb.co.uk
The Biomass Biorefinery Network (BBNet), a phase II Network in Industrial Biotechnology & Bioenergy funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC-NIBB) under grant BB/S009779/1. The aim of the Biomass Biorefinery Network is to act as a focal point to build and sustain a dynamic community of industrial and academic practitioners who work together to develop new and improved processes for the conversion of non-food biomass into sustainable fuels, chemicals and materials. 

About Aston University
For over a century, Aston University’s enduring purpose has been to make our world a better place through education, research and innovation, by enabling our students to succeed in work and life, and by supporting our communities to thrive economically, socially and culturally.
Aston University’s history has been intertwined with the history of Birmingham, a remarkable city that once was the heartland of the Industrial Revolution and the manufacturing powerhouse of the world.
Born out of the First Industrial Revolution, Aston University has a proud and distinct heritage dating back to our formation as the School of Metallurgy in 1875, the first UK College of Technology in 1951, gaining university status by Royal Charter in 1966, and becoming the Guardian University of the Year in 2020.
Building on our outstanding past, we are now defining our place and role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (and beyond) within a rapidly changing world.
For media inquiries in relation to this release, contact Nicola Jones, Press and Communications Manager, on (+44) 7825 342091 or email: n.jones6@aston.ac.uk


 


Industry and researchers call for action to tackle climate impact of organic, carbon-based chemicals

aston-university-researchers-to-help-unlock-renewable-energy-and-reduce-rice-straw-emissions-in-india-and-the-philippines

Associate Professorial Research Fellow, Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute (EBRI)

Sustainability

Negative Emissions

Bioenergy and Bioeconomy

Bioenergy and Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS)

300 million tonnes of rice straw are burned after harvest in Asia every year Aston University will be contributing to new international project to unlock renewable energy potential Its researchers will lead on calculating the greenhouse gas emissions savings of new systems.  Aston University researchers are helping to make rice straw processing in India and the Philippines less environmentally damaging. 

The University will be contributing to a new international collaboration, the Renewable, Inclusive Carbon-negative Energy (RICE) project, funded by Innovate UK Energy Catalyst programme to unlock renewable energy for rice farmers.  

Already the University has worked with UK company Straw Innovations in the Philippines and now the two are expanding their collaboration to benefit more of the continent.

Aston University working with UK company Straw Innovations and Indian enterprise, Takachar  Rice straw is a crop waste byproduct and each year across Asia 300 million tonnes of it go up in smoke when burnt after harvest. This releases emissions and air pollutants that triple risks of increased respiratory diseases and accelerate climate change. 

India and the Philippines are the world’s second and eighth largest rice producers respectively and together they produce 130 million tonnes of both rice and straw per year.

Aston University and Straw Innovations and will be collaborating with an Indian award winning small and medium sized enterprise, Takachar. The firm has developed small scale, low-cost, portable equipment which can convert agricultural waste on-site into higher value bioproducts such as fertilizer blends, chemicals and biofuels. 

"The company will develop a super-sized version which is 10 times bigger than their current device, make it adaptable to rice mills, and will send it to Straw Innovations, so the two firms can test out different business models for farmer adoption/benefit. Straw Innovations will also send their machines from the Philippines to India mid-project and the two countries will test out different business models for farmer adoption/benefit. And for the first time they will tap into the heat produced in the waste process to dry rice, instead of using diesel or kerosene.

University researchers will lead on assessing the sustainability of the project, calculating the greenhouse gas emissions savings of the new systems introduced by Straw Innovations and Takachar. Sustainability expert Dr Mirjam Röder will also engage with the farming community and rural stakeholders to quantify how the systems can increase farmer incomes, equality of opportunity, food security and decarbonisation benefits, whilst highlighting any trade-offs.

Dr Röder who is based at Aston University’s Energy & Bioproducts Research Institute (EBRI) said: “Environmentally, rice produces 48% of all global crop emissions, due to methane from flooded fields. This is halved when the straw is removed and reduced further when its carbon is stored in biochar. We are aiming for carbon negative which means removing carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere or sequestering more CO₂ than is emitted. 

“Our new research leads on from our rice straw bio gas hub project with Straw Innovations, SEARCA and Koolmill and we’re pleased to be building further relationships with new partners in India.

In January Biomass and Bioenergy published a paper about the topic written by Dr Röder, the director of EBRI Professor Patricia Thornley and Craig Jamieson of Straw Innovations called The greenhouse gas performance and climate change mitigation potential from rice straw biogas as a pathway to the UN sustainable development goals.

Craig Jamieson from Straw Innovations said "We’ve been pioneering rice straw work with the team at Aston University for the past seven years. We're delighted to continue that strong partnership and widen it to include Takachar in this new project. 

“Takachar is a leader in making biochar from crop residues and our partnership with them is very strategic. We look forward to combining our new improved straw harvesting technology with their scaled-up biochar production. It will be a step change, creating a new, more efficient system for carbon negative energy and soil improvement for rural communities across Asia."

Vidyut Mohan who founded Takachar said: “We are excited to partner with Aston University and Straw Innovations. 

“Our combined solutions can significantly move the needle in reducing crop residue collection costs and biochar production costs for carbon removal."

Notes to Editors
Rice straw is a crop waste byproduct and each year across Asia 300 million tonnes of it go up in smoke when burnt after harvest https://tinyurl.com/2afjhhsj

To read The greenhouse gas performance and climate change mitigation potential from rice straw biogas as a pathway to the UN sustainable development goals visit 
 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0961953424000254, Biomass and Bioenergy Volume 182, March 2024, 107072

Mirjam Röder and Patricia Thornley 
Energy & Bioproducts Research Institute (EBRI), College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham, B4 7ET, United Kingdom

Craig Jamieson
Straw Innovations Ltd., Lawes Open Innovation Hub, Rothamsted Research, West Common, Harpenden, HERTS, AL5 2JQ, United Kingdom

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2024.107072


About Aston University
For over a century, Aston University’s enduring purpose has been to make our world a better place through education, research and innovation, by enabling our students to succeed in work and life, and by supporting our communities to thrive economically, socially and culturally.
Aston University’s history has been intertwined with the history of Birmingham, a remarkable city that once was the heartland of the Industrial Revolution and the manufacturing powerhouse of the world.
Born out of the First Industrial Revolution, Aston University has a proud and distinct heritage dating back to our formation as the School of Metallurgy in 1875, the first UK College of Technology in 1951, gaining university status by Royal Charter in 1966, and becoming The Guardian University of the Year in 2020.
Building on our outstanding past, we are now defining our place and role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (and beyond) within a rapidly changing world.
For media inquiries in relation to this release, contact Nicola Jones, Press and Communications Manager, on (+44) 7825 342091 or email: n.jones6@aston.ac.uk


Aston University researchers to help unlock renewable energy and reduce rice straw emissions in India and the Philippines

aston-university-to-help-saudi-arabia-turn-waste-into-energy

Director of Engagement, Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute (EBRI)

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Energy will help power new cities in the desert Aston University is in talks about converting waste products into vital energy Its Energy and Bioproducts Institute is experienced in the waste-to-energy sector through global collaborations.    Aston University researchers are to help turn waste into energy to power new cities in the desert.

The University has started talks with experts from Saudi Arabia, including those who are building two sustainable cities in the desert, called NEOM and The Line.

They are to collaborate with Aston University and its Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute (EBRI) to explore how they can convert waste products into vital energy. 

The scientists and engineers are to apply their expertise to help Saudi Arabia create technology to convert discarded matter into a source of energy and other innovations such as using date palm waste to transform desert sand to allow it to retain water and grow crops.

Aston University also hosted a two-day conference in March to discuss how to develop and apply the technology.
The event is a key element of the UK-KSA Waste2Energy project supported by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office under the Gulf Strategy Fund (GSF) programme and is led by senior lecturer in mechanical, biomedical and design engineering Dr Muhammad Imran.  

More than 70 delegates attended the conference, including representatives from King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), King AbdulAziz University, The National Research and Development Center for Sustainable Agriculture and the Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC).

Professor Patricia Thornley, director of Energy & Bioproducts Research Institute, said: “The delegation chose to collaborate with and visit EBRI because we have common research goals, but some complementarity facilities and skills. We are looking forward to working together to develop some the shared priorities we have identified.”

Tim Miller, EBRI director of engagement, added: “Aston University has extensive engagement in the waste-to-energy sector through substantial industrial and academic collaborations globally. Advancements made by institutes like EBRI in waste-to-energy technologies are continually contributing to sustainable energy development.”

“The meeting provided an insightful overview of the project, emphasising the significant opportunities it offers to UK industries and academia for funding, collaboration and PhD opportunities.

“Our special appreciation is extended to Naif Makki from the Ministry of Energy, Saudi Arabia and his colleagues for their valuable participation.”

The event ended with a tour of the EBRI lab and biochar demonstrator plant and a visit to Kew Technology’s Sustainable Energy Centre in Wednesbury.


Aston University to help Saudi Arabia turn waste into energy

Patricia Thornley speaking at the Climate Assembly UK (Weekend 4) ~ April 18-19 2020 http://www.climateassembly.uk/

At the first of three virtual weekend sessions, the whole assembly will convene via video conferencing to hear and consider detailed evidence on the topic of where our electricity comes from.

Proceedings on the fourth and final weekend of Climate Assembly UK, due to take place on 20th - 22nd March, were postponed in view of the ongoing coronavirus situation. This weekend, Climate Assembly UK moves online to complete its work. The assembly will focus on where our electricity comes from.

A number of speakers will address the assembly, and then the assembly members will have an opportunity to question them in groups. This weekend’s speakers are all informants (they explain the range of views or options that exist on the topic) as opposed to giving their personal opinion. If they deviate from this and give a personal opinion at any point, they need to sign post this clearly as they are speaking. Read more about how the speakers were selected here.

Saturday 18th April

11:30AM Introduction to weekend four - new virtual format

11:35 Panel - where electricity our comes from livestream

Professor Rebecca Willis, University of Lancaster and one of the Assembly’s Expert Leads, introduction to the panel

Mike Hemsley, Committee on Climate Change (informant)

Professor Patricia Thornley, Director, Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute and Supergen Bioenergy Hub, Aston University (informant)

Professor Jim Watson, University College London Institute of Sustainable Resources and one of the Assembly’s Expert Leads (informant)

12:30 Close of morning session

Patricia Thornley - Bioenergy Role in Electricity Production and Sustainability Issues - Weekend 4

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Prof Patricia Thornley

Patricia Thornley is Director of the Supergen Bioenergy Hub in the UK.

Introduction from Patricia Thornley

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