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Visit the Conference section for speaker presentations slides and videos, poster presentations and photos from the ‘Building a sustainable European biofuel industry’ conference in Gothenburg, 4-6 November 2019.

Soil carbon stock impacts following reversion of Miscanthus × giganteus and short rotation coppice willow commercial plantations into arable cropping

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

Accounting whole life cycle bioenergy emissions within the UNFCCC emission accounting framework

Greenhouse gas emissions – timing matters!

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

Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS)

Bioenergy and waste gasification in the UK report: Barriers and research needs

Land use: Policies for a Net Zero UK

Sustainable synthetic carbon based fuels for transport

Renewable Energy Association Bioenergy Strategy

 

Publications 2013-2018

• Adams, P.W.R., McManus, M.C (2014) Small-scale biomass gasification CHP utilisation in industry: Energy and environmental evaluation. Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments 6, pp. 129-140
• Adams, P.W.R. Shirley, J.E.J.& McManus, M.C. (2015) Comparative cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment of wood pellet production with torrefaction Applied Energy Volume 138, 15 January 2015, Pages 367–380
• Adams, P. W. R., Lindegaard, K. (2015). A critical appraisal of the effectiveness of UK perennial energy crops policy since 1999
• Adams, P. W. R., Mezzullo, W.G. and McManus, M. C., (2015). Biomass sustainability criteria: Greenhouse gas accounting issues for biogas and biomethane facilities. Energy Policy, 87, 95-109.
• Al-Qayim, K., Nimmo, W., & Pourkashanian, M. (2015). Comparative Techno-economic assessment of biomass and coal with CCS technologies in a pulverised combustion power plant in the United Kingdom. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control
• Banks SW, Nowakowski DJ, Bridgwater AV (2015). Fast pyrolysis processing of surfactant washed biomass. Fuel Processing Technology. 128 94-103
• Baxter, X.C, Darvell, L.I, Jones,  J.M, Barraclough, T., Yates, N.E and Shield I. (2014) Miscanthus combustion properties and variations with Miscanthus agronomy. Fuel. 117, 851- 869
• Bennett J (2014) Heterogeneous catalysis for sustainable biodiesel production via esterification and transesterification”, Chemical Society Reviews, 2014
• Bennett J (2015) Catalytic upgrading of bio‐oils by esterification”, Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, 2015
• Castellanos, J. G., Walker, M., Poggio, D., Pourkashanian, M., & Nimmo, W. (2015). Modelling an off-grid integrated renewable energy system for rural electrification in India using photovoltaics and anaerobic digestion. Renewable Energy, 74, 390-398.
• Elliott, D.C, Oasmaa, A., Preto F, Meier D, Bridgwater, A.V (2013) Results of the IEA Round Robin on Viscosity and Aging of Fast Pyrolysis Bio-oils: Long-Term Tests and Repeatability in Energy and Fuels
• Fei, Y. S. Black, J. Szuhánszki, L. Ma, D.B. Ingham, P.J. Stanger, M. Pourkashanian. 2015. Evaluation of the potential of retrofitting a coal power plant to oxy-firing using CFD and process co-simulation. Fuel Processing Technology (131) 45–58.
• Fischer, M. and Jiang, X. (2015) An investigation of the chemical kinetics of biogas combustion. Fuel 150: 711-720
• Gilbert, P., Alexander, S., Thornley, P., Brammer, J.(2014) “Assessing economically viable carbon reductions for the production of ammonia from biomass gasification”, Journal of Cleaner Production
• Gómez-Marín, N., Bridgwater, AV. Mapping bioenergy stakeholders: A systematic and scientometric review of capabilities and expertise in bioenergy research in the United Kingdom, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Volume 137, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2020.110496.
• Greenhalf, C., Nowakowski, D.J., Yates, N.E., Titiloye,  J., Bridgwater, A.V. and Shield IF. (2013) The influence of harvest and storage on the properties of and fast pyrolysis products from Miscanthus x giganteus.  Biomass and Bioenergy, 56, 247-259
• Gudka, Bijal,  Jenny M. Jones, Amanda R. Lea-Langton, Alan Williams, and Abby Saddawi (2015) A review of the mitigation of deposition and emission problems during biomass combustion through washing pre-treatment., Journal of The Energy Institute
• Horschig T, Adams PWR, Röder M, Thornley P, Thrän D. Reasonable potential for GHG savings by anaerobic biomethane in Germany and UK derived from economic and ecological analyses. Applied Energy 2016. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2016.07.098
• Jiang, Ying, Abiba Ameh, Mei Lei, Lunbo Duan, Philip Longhurst (2015) Solid–gaseous phase transformation of elemental contaminants during the gasification of biomass
• Jiang, Ying,  Mei Lei, Lunbo Duan, Philip Longhurst (2015) Integrating phytoremediation with biomass valorisation and critical element recovery: A UK contaminated land perspective
• Lea-Langton, A., Baeza-Romero, M.T., Boman, G.V., Brooks, B.  Wilson, A.J.M., Atika, F., Bartle, K.D., Jones, J.M, Williams, A. (2014) A Study of Smoke Formation from Wood Combustion. Fuel Processing Technology Volume 137, September 2015, Pages 327–332
• Levidow, L., and Upham, P. (2017) Socio-technical change linking expectations and representations: Innovating thermal treatment of municipal solid waste (MSW), Science and Public Policy 44(2): 211-224, http://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/105465/1/Levidow%20Upham%20SPP%20gasification.pdf
• Levidow, L., and Upham, P. (2017) Linking the multi-level perspective with social representations theory: MSW gasifiers  as a niche innovation reinforcing the energy-from-waste (EfW) regime, Technology Forecasting and Social Change  120: 1-13, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2017.03.028, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0040162517303906
• Lesur, C., Jeuffroy, M.H, Makowski, D., Riche, A.B, Shield, I., Yates, N., Fritz, M., Formowitz, B., Grunert, M., Jorgensen, U., Laerke, P.E and Loyce, C. (2013) Modelling long-term yield trends of Miscanthus × giganteus using experimental data from across Europe. Field Crops Research. Volume 149, Pages 252–260
• McManus, M.C & Taylor, C.M. (2014) The Changing Nature of LCA. Biomass and Bioenergy
• McManus, M.C., Caroline M. Taylor, Alison Mohr, Carly Whittaker, Corinne D. Scown, Aiduan Li Borrion, Neryssa J. Glithero, and Yao Yin. (2015) “Challenge clusters facing LCA in environmental decision-making—what we can learn from biofuels.” The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 20, no. 10: 1399-1414.
• McNamee, P., Darvell, L. , Jones, J. and Williams, W. (2014) The combustion characteristics of high-heating-rate-chars from raw and torrefied biomass fuels.  Biomass & Bioenergy.
• Meier D, van de Beld B, Bridgwater AV, Elliott DC, Oasmaa A, Preto F. (2013). State-of-the-art of fast pyrolysis in IEA Bioenergy member countries.  Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews  Volume 20, April 2013, Pages 619–641
• Mitchell, E.J.S., A.R. Lea-Langton, J.M. Jones, A. Williams, P. Layden and R. Johnson. (2015) The Impact of Fuel Properties on the Emissions from the Combustion of Biomass and other Solid Fuels in a Fixed Bed Domestic Stove.  Submitted to Fuel Processing Technology.
• Murozuka, E., Laursen, K.H, Lindedam, J., Shield, I.F, Bruun, S., Magid, J., Møller, I.S & Schjoerring, J.K. (2014) Nitrogen fertilization affects silicon concentration, cell wall composition and biofuel potential of wheat straw. Biomass and Bioenergy 64 291-298
• Nguyen V.H., Topno, S., Balingbing, C., Nguyen V.C.N., Röder, M., Quilty, J., Jamieson, C., Thornley, P., Gummert, M. (2015) Energy Balance Analysis of Rice Straw for Anaerobic Digestion, Energy for sustainable development, under review
• Patel, M.A, Baldanza, M.A.S, Teixeira da Silva V and Bridgwater AV (2013). In-situ catalytic upgrading of bio-oil using molybdenum carbide catalyst. Applied Catalysis A: General 458 48-54
• Purdy, S.J., Cunniff, J., Maddison,  A.L., Jones, L.E., Barraclough, T., Castle, M., Davey, C.L., Jones, C.M, Shield, I., Gallagher J, Donnison I & Clifton-Brown J. (2014) Seasonal Carbohydrate Dynamics and Climatic Regulation of Senescence in the Perennial Grass, Miscanthus. Bioenergy Research. DOI 10.1007/s12155-014-9500-2
• Purkus, A., Röder, M., Gawel, E., Thornley, P., (2014) Handling Uncertainty in Bioenergy Policy Design – A Comparative Case Study Analysis of the UK and Germany. Journal of Biomass and Bioenergy. 2014
• Röder M., Thornley P (2015) Bioenergy as Climate Change Mitigation Option within a 2C Target – Uncertainties and Temporal Challenges of Bioenergy Systems. Energy, Sustainability and Society, “Thematic Series “The broader view – systems analysis for sustainable bioenergy”, 2015, under review
•  Röder, M., Thornley, P., (2014) How certain are greenhouse gas reductions from bioenergy? Life cycle assessment and uncertainty analysis of a forest residues-to-electricity supply chain. Journal of Biomass and Bioenergy. 2014
• Röder M. More than food or fuel. Stakeholder perceptions of anaerobic digestion and land use; a case study from the United Kingdom. Energy Policy 2016; 97:73-81. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2016.07.003
• Shield, I.F, Barraclough TJP, Riche AB & Yates NE. (2014) The yield and quality response of the energy grass Miscanthus x giganteus to fertiliser applications of nitrogen, potassium and sulphur, when grown on a sandy soil. Biomass and Bioenergy , 68, 184-19
•  Shemfe, Mobolaji B.Carly Whittaker, Sai Gu, Beatriz Fidalgo, Comparative evaluation of GHG emissions from the use of Miscanthus for bio-hydrocarbon production via fast pyrolysis and bio-oil upgrading, Applied Energy, Volume 176, 15 August 2016, Pages 22-33, ISSN 0306-2619,
• Thornley, P., Gilbert, P. (2013) “Biofuels: Balancing Risks and Rewards”, Interface Focus
• Thornley P, Chong K, Bridgwater AV. (2014) European biorefineries: implications for land, trade and employment. Environmental Science and Policy. 37. 255-265
• Thornley P, Gilbert P, Shackley S, Hammond J, (2015) Maximizing the greenhouse gas reductions from biomass: the role of life cycle assessment, Biomass and Bioenergy, vol 81, pp 35-43
• Welfle, A., Gilbert, P., Thornley, P., Stephenson, A (2017): Generating Low-Carbon Heat from Biomass: Life Cycle Assessment of Bioenergy Scenarios (a 2 page summary can be found here: Generating low-carbon heat from biomass
• Welfe, A., Gilbert, P., Thornley, P., (2014) Increasing biomass resource availability through supply chain analysis, Biomass and Bioenergy,
• Welfle, A., Gilbert, P., Thornley, P. (2014) “Securing a bioenergy future without imports”, Energy Policy, 2014
• Whittaker, C, Yates, NE, Powers, SJ, Misselbrook, T and Shield, I. (2015) Dry matter losses and greenhouse gas emissions from outside storage of short rotation coppice willow chip. Bio-energy Research. In Press.
• Whittaker, C., Macalpine, W., Yates, N, E. & Shield, I. (2015) Dry matter losses and methane emissions during wood chip storage: The impact on full life cycle greenhouse gas savings of short rotation coppice for heat. Bioenergy Research. In Review
• Whittaker,C,  Borrion, A.L, Newnes, L and McManus, M (2014) The renewable energy directive and cereal residues. Applied Energy. Volume 122, Pages 207–215
• Whittaker, C., Yates, N., Powers, S.J., Misslebrook, T and Shield, I. (2015) Dry Matter Losses and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Outside Storage of Short Rotation Coppice Willow Chip  Bioenergy Research
• Whittaker, Carly, John Hunt, Tom Misselbrook, Ian Shield, How well does Miscanthus ensile for use in an anaerobic digestion plant?, Biomass and Bioenergy, Volume 88, May 2016, Pages 24-34, ISSN 0961-9534,
• Zhang, G., Ni, C., Huang, X., Welgamage, A., Lawton, L. A., Robertson P. K. J., Irvine, J.T.S (2015)., Simultaneous cellulose conversion and hydrogen production from pure water driven by solar photocatalysis, Energy & Environmental Science (SUBMITTED).

Research and innovation needs for biomass to energy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) 2021

Harmonising greenhouse gas and sustainability criteria for low-carbon transport fuels, bioenergy and other bio-based sectors 2020

Fuel Standards Summary Report 2020

UK Biomass Availability Modelling Scoping Report 2020

Supergen Bioenergy Hub Case Studies Report 2020

Bioenergy and waste gasification report 2019

Mapping UK Bioenergy Research Stakeholders: A Systematic Review of Bioenergy Capabilities and Expertise in Academia and Research Centres in the UK, 2016-2017

Gasification workshop report 2013

Greenhouse gases balances report 2013

Bioenergy Research Prospectus for Southern Africa 2015

Outputs from the ‘Building a sustainable European biofuel industry’ conference, November 2019, are available to view in the Conference section.

Webinar on temporal and accounting aspects of greenhouse gas emissions, 3 June 2020

Outputs 2013-2018

• PT Presentation at Sustainability Live – April 2013
• Adams, P.W.R.A. & McManus, M.C. (2014) International Bioenergy Conference; 11 Mar 2014-13 Mar 2014; Manchester, UK
• Broderick, J., Thornley, P. (2014), “Sustainable Power Generation from Biomass: The SUPERGEN Bioenergy Hub”, invited presentation to  Advanced Power Generation Technology Forum, London 2014
• Dooley, B., J. M. Jones, M. Pourkashanian and A. Williams (2014) Oral presentation/ poster: “Oxy-fuel Combustion of Coal and Biomass”. RCUK International Bioenergy Conference 11-13th March, 2014 in Manchester
• Dooley, J. M. Jones, M. Pourkashanian and A. Williams (2013) Poster presentation: “Oxyfuel combustion of coal and biomass blends” B. at the Supergen Bioenergy Hub Assembly and the Early Careers Research and Networking Day in Leeds, 19 and 20th Nov 2013.
• Finney, K (2014) Air/Oxy Biomass Combustion with CO2 Capture Technology, UK Study  10th September 2014 – UKCCSRC Biannual, Cardiff
• Lea-Langton, A.  F.A. Atiku, K.D. Bartle, J.M. Jones, M Pourkashanian, A Williams (2014) ERI Oral presentation/ poster  Soot Formation in Diffusion Flames of Some Biomass Pyrolysis Oils, RCUK International Bioenergy Conference 11-13th March, 2014 in Manchester
• Lea-Langton, A.L., F. Atiku,  A.Williams, J.M. Jones and K.D.Bartle (2014) Pyrolysis of Soot from Biomass, Pyro 2014
• Lea-Langton, A.R., M.T.Baeza-Romero, G.V.Boman, B. Brooks, A.J.M.Wilson  F.Atika  K.D.Bartle J.M.Jones, A.Williams (2014) Some Aspects of Smoke Formation from Wood Combustion. Combustion institute Joint British and Scandinavian meeting. Cambridge
• Macalpine, W.J., Shield, I.F., Walsh, L.R.E., Johnston, C., McCracken, A.R., Gilliland, J., Wilson, H., Finnan, J., Power, R., Hartmann, H., Weitz, M., White, R. P., Karp, A. (2014). Rothamsted Research Willow (Salix Spp.) Breeding Programme; Multi-Site Yield Trial Results 2014. In: 22nd European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, Hamburg, Germany. 23-26 June 2014: 116-121. DOI: 10.5071/22ndEUBCE2014-1DO.1.2
• McManus, M.C & Taylor, C.M. (2014) The Changing Nature of LCA.  International Bioenergy Conference; 11 Mar 2014-13 Mar 2014; Manchester, UK.
• McNamee, P. Leilani I. Darvell, Ben Dooley, Jenny M. Jones and A. Williams (2014) Oral presentation/ poster: “The combustion characteristics of fast-heating rate chars from raw and torrefied fuels” RCUK International Bioenergy Conference 11-13th March, 2014 in Manchester.
• Mitchell, E.J.S.,  Jones, J.M. , Williams, A. and  Lea-Langton, A. (2014) Oral presentation/ poster: The Impact of Feedstock Parameters on Airborne Emissions from Biomass Combustion in Small Scale Heating Applications and their Associated Impacts on Air Quality and Climate.. RCUK International Bioenergy Conference 11-13th March, 2014 in Manchester.
• Pukrus, A., Roeder, M., Gawel, E., Thran, D., Thornley, P. (2014), “Handling uncertainty in bioenergy policy design – a case study analysis of UK and German Bioelectricity Policy Instruments”, European Biomass Conference, Hamburg, 2014
• Roeder, M., Thornley, P., Whittaker, C.(2014), “How certain are greenhouse gas reductions from biomass: Life-cycle assessment and uncertainty analysis of a forest-residue to electricity supply chain”, European Biomass Conference, Hamburg, 2014
• Röder, M., ‘How certain are greenhouse gas reductions from bioenergy? Life cycle assessment and uncertainty analysis of a forest residues-to-electricity supply chain’, International Bioenergy Conference, Manchester, UK, March 2014
• Röder, M., ‘Biobridges. Collating bioenergy activity at Aston University’, Bioenergy at Manchester day, 10 September 2014, Manchester
• Röder, M., ‘How certain are greenhouse gas reductions from bioenergy? Life cycle assessment and uncertainty analysis of a forest residues-to-electricity supply chain’, Bioenergy at Manchester day, 10 September 2014, Manchester
• Röder, M., ‘How certain are greenhouse gas reductions from bioenergy? Life cycle assessment and uncertainty analysis of a forest residues-to-electricity supply chain’, European Biomass Conference and Exhibition (EU BC&E), June 2014
• Röder, M., ‘How certain are greenhouse gas reductions from bioenergy? Life cycle assessment and uncertainty analysis of a forest residues-to-electricity supply chain’, Biomass for energy – lessons from the Bioenergy Boom, November 2014, UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
• Thornley, P., Eggar, D., (2014) “Growing greener markets: Opportunities in Bioenergy”, invited presentation to Great Britain House, British Council, Sao Paulo 2014
• Thornley, P., Roeder, M., Jamieson, C.(2014), “Understanding the greenhouse gas balances of bioenergy systems: the case of rice straw”, invited plenary at World Renewable Energy Conference, London 2014
• Thornley, P.,(2014) “Temporal aspects of greenhouse gas balances of bioenergy systems”, European Biomass Conference, Hamburg, 2014
• Whittaker, C (2014) How the renewable energy directive penalises renewable energy production. International Bio-energy Conference Manchester. Röder, M., Energy from Rice Straw, Social and institutional issues’, Energy from Rice Straw workshop, IRRI, Los Baños, Philippines, March 2014

 

• All Energy 2016

Review of UK policy framework to deliver biomass heating and steps needed to accelerate implementation Patricia Thornley

How much sustainable biomass will the UK have to sustain the future renewable heat sector: where does it come from and what form is it in?
Andrew Welfle

Can bioenergy heating really reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to the UK meeting its carbon reduction targets
Mirjam Röder

What are the key air quality impacts associated with biomass combustion and how can they be controlled?
Edward Mitchell

What types and scales of technologies can be used to deliver bioheating and what have we learnt from practical implementation to date?
Gunter Woltron

 

Session 1

Autoclave pre-treatment of food waste, Professor Charles Banks, University of Southampton

RE-DIRECT: Next Steps in integrating AD and thermochemical conversion routes  to maximise outputs, Mr Alex Wilcox Brooke, Severn Wye Energy Agency

Anaerobic treatments of pyrolysis liquors, Dr Julian Pietryzk, University of Edinburgh

 

Session 2

Strategies for recovery of energy and chemicals from biomass, Prof. Michael Theodorou, Harper Adams University

Slow pyrolysis of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste  and screening of the aqueous product for AD, Dr Yang Yang, Aston University

Biochar and Pyrolysis for Ligno-cellulosic materials, Dr Ondrĕj Mašek, University of Edinburgh

Opportunities for integration of hydrothermal processing and anaerobic digestion, Dr Andrew Ross, University of Leeds

 

Session 3

Electrochemical Systems for Enhanced Product Recovery , Prof. Richard Dinsdale, University of South Wales

NWaste2H2: Decreasing N2O and CO2 emissions from wastewater treatment plants  by co-reforming of the biogas and digestate liquor, Dr Valerie Dupont, University of Leeds

Microwave technology for biomass treatment, Mr Sam Kerr, AMT Technologies

Closing remarks, Prof Patricia Thornley, University of Manchester

 

Bioenergy theme: Resources

Chair: Chris Johnston, AFBI

Environmental impacts and GHG emissions from bioenergy systems – Mirjam Roeder, University of Manchester

How bioenergy can support global development – Julia Tomei, University College London

 

Bioenergy theme: Pre-treatment

Chair: Jason Hallett, Imperial College London

Pretreatment overview– Jenny Jones, University of Leeds

Torrefaction and its impact on environmental issues  – Marcelle McManus, University of Bath

Integration of Hydrothermal Carbonisation with Anaerobic Digestion: Opportunities for Valorisation of Digestate – Kiran Pamar, University of Leeds (to be made available shortly)

 

Bioenergy theme: Conversion

Chair: Katie Chong, Aston University

Plasma catalysis: a novel technology for bioengineering applications – Xin Tu, University of Liverpool

Real-time tar detection and control of Glasgow’s downdraft gasification test-bed system, Ian Watson, University of Glasgow (to be made available shortly)

Biomass combustion under oxy-fuel and post combustion carbon capture conditions  – Janos Szuhanszki, University of Sheffield

 

Bioenergy theme: Vectors

Introduction by Chair: Marcelle McManus, University of Bath

Thermo-catalytic reforming of waste biomass – Lais Speranza, University of Birmingham

CO2 adsorption using CaO and its potential integration with hydrogen , Chunfei Wu, University of Hull

 

Bioenergy theme: Systems

Introduction by Chair:  Rob Holland, University of Southampton

The implications of biomass resource uncertainties – Oliver Broad, University College London

Challenges and uncertainties of emission accounting frameworks – Andrew Welfle, University of Manchester