- Supergen Bioenergy Hub which is based at Aston University has launched an incentive scheme
- The aim is to encourage more industry and research partnerships
- Vouchers worth up to £15,000 will help cover costs such as business expenses and expertise of a postdoctoral researcher.
Businesses are being encouraged to explore collaborations with academia to accelerate the development of sustainable bioenergy in the UK thanks to a new incentive scheme.
Supergen Bioenergy Hub which is based at Aston University’s Energy and Bioproducts Institute (EBRI) has launched a voucher scheme to encourage its members to increase the number of industry and research partnerships.
The vouchers are being offered to cover costs such as business expenses and the time of a postdoctoral research associate researcher.
The scheme was launched at the Energising Futures: Bioenergy careers and collaboration event in June held at Moor Bioenergy, the UK’s first unsubsidised biomethane facility, near Grantham, Lincolnshire.
Professor Patricia Thornley of Aston University and director of the Supergen Bioenergy Hub said: “The event brought together research and industry partners to share experiences and insights into pathways from academia to industry. It was an opportunity to explore collaborations and future connections making it ideal for the launching of our scheme.
“We decided to offer the flexible funding voucher scheme to encourage more private sector organisations to develop sustainable bioenergy systems that support the UK’s transition to an affordable, resilient, low-carbon energy future. Our industry members could benefit from up to £15,000 to help cover the costs of setting up and running collaborations.
“We know there are many benefits to industry and academic research partnerships especially the two-way exchange of knowledge, skills and perspectives which drives progress in both sectors. Industry gains access to cutting-edge knowledge and expertise, potentially leading to innovative products and solutions, while academics can leverage industry resources, funding, and real-world applications to enhance their research and its impact.”
Organisations that attended on the day included Calor, AlpsEcoscience, the Association for Decentralised Energy, Progressive Energy, Future Biogas and the Renewable Energy Association.
Dr Becky Wheeler, business development director at Future Biogas said: "We’re not going to engineer a low-carbon future in silos. Research, innovation and business must collaborate if we want to deliver meaningful, measurable climate solutions."
The Energising Futures event also featured the opportunity for early career researchers to hear from industry experts on their career journeys and explore in-demand skills for a more successful transition into industry.
Organisations interested in becoming members of the Hub can find more details at https://www.supergen-bioenergy.net/about/members/