The Economic Development Programme aims to address a gap between research excellence and real‑world deployment. Despite strong scientific evidence, advancing technologies, and a clear need for low‑carbon energy, there is limited appetite to accelerate bioenergy. This challenge stems from a mismatch between growing market demand and the sector’s ability to recognise and develop viable opportunities.

As a result, there remains no shared, practical vision for how bioenergy can contribute to national priorities such as economic growth, skills enhancement, and regional development. This programme seeks to bridge that gap by building on the Hub’s early-stage research and focusing on its translation into tangible economic outcomes. Central to this effort is the integration of technical knowledge with regional strategies and market needs.

Running through to the end of 2026, the work will progress through a structured set of activities, beginning with synthesising the research base and moving towards market engagement, and the articulation of economic impact of bioenergy. The project is led by Thea Mae Baltazar (t.baltazar@aston.ac.uk) and Paul Whitehead (p.whitehead@aston.ac.uk, works on Tuesdays) from Aston University.