Highlights and outputs from the Supergen Bioenergy Hub Annual Assembly 2025

The Supergen Bioenergy Hub Annual Assembly 2025 took place on 11 November 2025 at Conference Aston, Birmingham.

Over 100 delegates from across academia, industry and policy came together for a full day of research updates, discussions and networking on a range of topics from across the biomass and bioenergy space.

Presentations

Thank you to all our speakers who shared their research, knowledge and thoughts during the day. Our sessions took the format of challenge, response, next steps. We heard about a challenge relevant to the session topic presented by colleagues in industry or policy, followed by responses outlining how research is responding. The session chair then pulled the strands together to identify next steps. You can download the speaker presentations below.

Welcome, Supergen state of play, engagement strategy

Patricia Thornley, Catriona Heaton and Freya Horsfield, Supergen Bioenergy Hub, Aston University
Introduction to Supergen Bioenergy Hub engagement and impact

Net negative emissions and hydrogen

Session chair: Patricia Thornley, Aston University

Jon Scroggie, Evero
Jon Scroggie_InBECCS – Opportunities and Constraints

Akshay Bagde University of Glasgow
Akshay Bagde and Manosh Paul_Negative emissions from waste and hydrogen-BECCUS

Srigan Moharir, Aston University
Srigan Moharir_Catalysts for Change Advancing Biomass Gasification for Clean Hydrogen

Lewis MacDonald, Strathclyde University
Lewis Macdonald_Hydrogen production via mediated electrolysis of biomass

Clean Power 2030 and beyond – the contribution of biofuels

Paul Golby, NESO
Paul Golby_Clean Power 2030 and beyond – the contribution of biofuels

The potential role for biomass as a long-duration store of energy

Keelan Colechin, Cultivate
Keelan Colechin_Biomass as a long-duration store of energy

Sustainability and resource availability

Session chair: Mirjam Roeder, Aston University

Mirjam Roeder, Aston University
Mirjam Roeder_Sustainability a global challenge

Freya Horsfield, Aston University
Freya Horsfield_Government strategy, policy and regulation

Czaneil Gomez, Aston University
Czaneil Gomez_The UK’s Approach to Quantifying Net Negative Emissions in BECCS Projects: BSI Flex 2006 v1.02025-07

Cristiane Scaldaferri, Worley Consulting
Cristiane Scaldaferri_Global Feedstock Assessment for SAF Production – Outlook to 2050

Jalil Yesufu, Aston University
Jalil Yesufu_Evidencing global ILUC

Dan Abudu, Aston University
Dan Abudu_Biomass in Sub-Saharan Africa major opportunity and challenge for sustainable futures

Dan Taylor, Aston University
Dan Taylor_Developing frameworks that deliver whole system sustainability benefits for the bioeconomy

Low-carbon fuels

Session chair: Helen Motwani, REA

Dharel Patel, Department for Transport
Dharel Patel_UK Low Carbon Fuel Policy Overview

Spiros Siouris, University of Sheffield
Spiros Siouris_Unlocking gas turbine engine efficiencies through the use of SAF

Rob Ireson, Glass Futures
Rob Ireson_Low-carbon biofuels for industrial heating

Abdallah Abu Saleh, University of Sheffield
Enabling the Sustainable Fuel Transition to Off-Grid Heating
Slides not ready to be shared publicly – please contact Abdallah at a.abu.saleh@sheffield.ac.uk for more information.

Digitalisation for the bio sector

Session chair: Jason Hallett, Imperial College London

Alan Beesley, Alps Ecoscience
Digitalisation challenges and opportunities for the bio sector (video)

Benaissa Deckici, University of Surrey
Benaissa Dekhiki_Digitalisation of the Bioenergy Sector Insights from Industrial Surveys and Workshops

Bioproducts – what can we get from biomass?

Session chair: Parimala Shivaprasad, University of Nottingham

Craig Jones, Unilever
Craig Jones_Harnessing Biology as an Enabler for Future Ingredients – Superior Performance, Sustainably Sourced

Amir Badiee, University of Lincoln
Amir Badiee_BioSusTOil Developing Sustainable Power Transformer Oil in Support of Grid Decarbonisation

Jesus Esteban Serrrano, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (formerly University of Manchester)
Amir Badiee_BioSusTOil Developing Sustainable Power Transformer Oil in Support of Grid Decarbonisation

Dibyendu Roy, Durham University
Dibyendu Roy_Functional Biochar Materials Bridging Environmental Responsibility and Regulatory Standards

Paul Golby, NESO and Patricia Thornley, Aston University

Poster competition

We ran a poster session competition for early career researchers to share their research with the wider Supergen community. Congratulations to our three winners who were awarded prizes sponsored by Evero and presented by Jon Scroggie.