Energy Biosciences

Energy Biosciences Research Group

Swan Institute research on bio-energy spans the whole supply chain from growing novel feedstocks (various biomass crops, algae), processing them in novel ways, converting them into fuels and chemical feedstocks and developing new engines to use the products.

We seek to consolidate biofuels research through translational research activities focusing on:

  • refining and promoting current or near-market technologies that can be applied efficiently or effectively at relatively small scales in northern and western Europe and similar agro-climatic zones worldwide;
  • the insertion of biotechnology into the development of environmentally sustainable, truly low-carbon ‘second generation’ biofuels, produced both from non-edible crops suited to production on otherwise marginal land in all climate zones, and from the organic matter in municipal waste;
  • the development of an unique large-scale molecular biology characterisation facility, to provide metagenomics/metaproteomics support to the energy and environment sector nationwide;
  • pioneering some of the first large-scale technologies ever devised for directly removing CO2 from the atmosphere and trapping it in permanent stores in organic sediments.

Research Areas

  • Fuel production and use
  • Biomass gasification and CHP
  • Pyrolysis and biochar
  • Anaerobic digestion and bio-genic waste
  • Biorefineries
  • Plant feedstocks
  • Biofuel from Algae
  • Centre for Renewable Energy from Land (CREEL)

Current projects

  • Feasibility study for a Pyrolysis unit in the North East (under construction)
  • Integration of bioenergy research and land use at CREEL (under construction)
  • Research opportunities for Anaerobic Digestion at CREEL

Recent Publications

    • Sohi, S.P, Lopez-Capel, E., Bol, R. and Krull, E. A Review of Biochar and Its Use and Function in Soil. Advances in Agronomy, Volume 105, 2010, Pages 47-82.
    • Lopez-Capel, E. Char management strategies for biomass pyrolysis. Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Sustainable Energy & Environmental Protection, part 2, 2009, pg. 96-101.
    • P. Renforth, D.A.C. Manning, & E. Lopez-Capel. Carbonate precipitation in artificial soils as a sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide. Applied Geochemistry, 2009, 24, 1757-1764.
    • Saran Sohi, Elisa Lopez-Capel, Evelyn Krull and Roland Bol. Biochar, climate change and soil: A review to guide future research.  CSIRO Report, published February 2009.

Engagement roles

  • Setting up the Newcastle Algae research group. Collaboration between CEGS, MAST, CEAM and SWAN on biofuels from Algae
  • Setting up collaborations between several schools under "Integration of energy research and land use at CREEL"
  • Setting up projects with industrial partners
  • Representative of UKBRC Biochar Centre at Newcastle University