Supergen Bioenergy Hub on the royal agenda

The Centre for Sustainable and Circular Technologies (CSCT) at the University of Bath – one of our core partners – hosted a visit by the University’s Chancellor, HRH The Earl of Wessex, to learn more about the centre’s achievements and vision for the future.

As a cross-disciplinary research centre, CSCT research includes developing clean energy technologies, replacing crude oil products in plastics and pharmaceuticals with sustainable alternatives, and minimising the environmental impact of industrial chemical processes.

During the visit, The Earl heard about the vision of the CSCT in making a significant contribution to breaking the global economy’s unsustainable reliance on fossil carbon. He found out more about research from many of the different areas of the centre’s work, by meeting researchers who presented a range of projects from making sustainable biodegradable tree guards to tracking Covid19 in the sewage system.

He was also briefed on the industrial decarbonisation and sustainable energy systems initiatives at Bath, including the UK Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre (IDRIC) and the Supergen Bioenergy Hub.

Sam Cooper, who works with Marcelle McManus on our Vectors Topic Group, spoke to the Earl about the Hub’s work, in particular our whole-systems approach, which encompasses all aspects of bioenergy and bioproducts and the associated sustainability implications.