Projects
RICE (2019-21)
Regional Innovation and Circular Economy assessment (RICE) (2019-21)
Funding: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
PI: Dr Rupert J Myers
RICE aims to develop and apply a ‘regional innovation and circular economy assessment’ by focusing on the built environment and Edinburgh. The key aim of RICE’s first phase will be to identify the potential for environmentally and economically beneficial substitution of construction material and processes.
AMEIB (2019-21)
Assessing Material Efficiency and Impacts in Buildings (AMEIB) (2019-21)
Funding: EPSRC
PI: Dr Rupert J Myers
Researchers: Dr He He
Sustainably transforming material use in the build environment, focusing on buildings and all major construction materials. The project will develop a novel multiscale material flow impact analysis algorithm that directly and quantitatively integrates resource availability, industrial ecology, and materials science. Applications of the algorithm will identify scenarios and materials that approach maximal efficiency and minimal life cycle environment impacts in buildings across the UK.
BESTER Project (2018-21)
PI: Dr Jeremy Woods
Researchers: Dr Onesmus Mwabonje and Dr Lorenzo di Lucia
An EcoBioTech/BBSRC sponsored project on developing of new bioprocesses for the production of butyl esters for the bio-based chemicals market.
BIOMATES (2016-21)
Funding: EU Horizon2020
PI: Dr Rocio Diaz-Chavez
Research Associate: Dr Yara Evans
This project aims to develop innovative bio-refinery technologies (TRL 5) that will produce bio-based intermediate products to be used in conventional petroleum refinery processes. This entails bio-oil upgrading via single hydro-processing step within or near the refinery; b) utilization of excess refiner energy and energy carriers for BioMates production and co-processing; c) integration of electrochemical pumping and purification of excess refinery hydrogen. These technologies will lead to improved overall biomass conversion efficiency and sustainable increase of the biomass use in the transportation sector.
Sustainable Polymers (2015-20)
Funding: EPSRC
PI: Professor Nilay Shah
Researcher: Dr Dongda Zhang
Synthesise sustainable polymers from different types of biomass wastes, and design an environmentally friendly manufacturing route for the industrial scale production of biopolymers.
BIOSKOR (2015-20)
Funding: European Commission 7th Framework Programme
PI: Dr Raphael Slade
Researcher: Dr Lorenzo di Lucia
BIOSKOH is a flagship research project to demonstrate a first of its kind commercial-scale second generation biorefinery. A sustainable, circular bioeconomy project, BIOSKOH will transform a brownfield industrial site in eastern Slovakia into a 55 kton cellulosic ethanol production facility.
It is anticipated that this project will eventually pave the way for the largest second generation biorefinery in Europe (110 kton).
BIORESCUE (2016-19)
Funding: Bio-Based Industries Joint Undertaking/EU Horizon2020
PI: Dr Rocio Diaz-Chavez
Research Associate: Dr Yara Evans
This project aims to develop an innovative and integrated process concept based on the retrofitting of a conventional mushroom farm in Ireland for the cascading use of biomass to turn it into an efficient, sustainable and innovative biorefinery.The biorefinery will process mushroom compost and other agricultural residues to obtain nanocarriers, biopesticides and enzymes for multiple uses.
COSMOS (2015-19)
Funding: EU Horizon2020
PI: Dr Rocio Diaz-Chavez
Research Associate: Dr Yara Evans
This project aims to reduce Europe’s dependence on imported vegetable oils, fatty acids and polymers which are needed by the oleochemical industry for producing a wide range of products, including plastics, surfactants, detergents, lubricants, and plasticisers. This is to be achieved by using two no-food crops (Camelina and Crambe) as biorefinery feedstocks and turning them into profitable, sustainable, multipurpose, non-GMO European oil crops.
COMETHA (2014-19)
Funding: European Commission 7th Framework Programme
PI: Dr Ausilio Bauen
Researcher: Dr Eva Sevigne-Itoiz
Pre-commercial industrial scale demonstration plant on lignocellulosic ethanol.
Bio-SuccInnovate (2014-17)
Funding: Climate-KIC
PI: Dr Jeremy Woods
Researcher: Dr Onesmus Mwabonje
Adaptation and Mitigation through Bio-Succinate Innovation (ADMIT Bio-SuccInnovate).
EUROCHAR (2011-14)
Funding: European Commission 7th Framework Programme
PI: Dr Jeremy Woods
Researcher(s): Dr Mireille Rack
Assessing the potential environmental impacts of European biochar systems – biochar production for land application as a potential Carbon Dioxide Removal option.