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Projects Granted Bio4Energy Researchers on Integrated Climate Assessment, Membranes for Desalination, Plant Cell Biology

Details: Created: Monday, 02 December 2019 16:41; Written by Anna Strom

Photo by AnnaStrom2019x400 A patch of mainly coniferous forest in northern Sweden, in mid-October 2019. Photo by Anna Strom© 2019.Next year, Bio4Energy scientists will kick off multiannual projects, respectively, on integrated climate assessment of using woody biomass, production of membranes to desalinate sea water and on investigating the “unknowns” of plant cell biology for the ultimate purpose of increasing biomass production. The Swedish Research Council Formas (Formas) or the Swedish Research Council (VR) granted the projects in their respective annual rounds of funding.

What uses of biomass should be preferred to minimise greenhouse gas emissions?

The first project is broad in scope and will require the researchers to use a number of system analysis models. The aim is to find out, starting from sustainably managed forests in Sweden, which type of use of the harvested biomass will maximise efficiency, in terms of using bioenergy instead of fossil fuels for the purpose of minimising greenhouse gas emissions. The findings will serve to guide decision-makers in their attempt to understand what mix of technologies to favour and, consequently, what support measures to propose.

“Understanding the climate impact of different forest biomass paths is paramount for the implementation of appropriate policy measures. The purpose of the project is to improve the effectiveness of reaching the climate targets by advancing our understanding of climate impacts of using biomass, especially trade-offs and interactions of climate effects between the biophysical and economical systems”, says the project grant application.

Introducing System Analysis to Bio-based Research, Development

Details: Created: Wednesday, 23 October 2019 15:38; Written by Anna Strom

Bio4Energy is on a mission to introduce system analysis to its technology-based research and development (R&D). In 2016, Bio4Energy created a new R&D platform entirely dedicated to the subject. It is called Bio4Energy System Analysis and Bioeconomy.

So what is system analysis and how can we use it? To know more, look at the presentations from the last Bio4Energy Researchers' Meeting, at which about 50 of the Bio4Energy members–scientists and students–met to learn more and exchange ideas on how to check the feasibility of introducing new technology innovations to the market.

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Thank you Bio4Energy researchers, young and old, for your contribution!
22 October 2019 at Skellefteå, Sweden

Attachments:
Assessment of New Technology and Forest Management Systems	[Robert Lundmark, Bio4Energy System Analysis and Bioeconomy]	1501 kB
Efficient and Sustainable Bioenergy Production	[Tommy Lundgren, Bio4Energy System Analysis and Bioeconomy]	746 kB
Combining Increased Pulp Capacity with Biofuel Production	[Elisabeth Wetterlund, Bio4Energy System Analysis and Bioeconomy]	612 kB
Life-cycle Assessment in Bioeconomy	[Krishna Upadhyayula, Bio4Energy System Analysis and Bioeconomy]	1179 kB

Se hur matrester blir till bensin i Umeås skog - Svenska Dagbladet

Details: Created: Friday, 27 September 2019 16:19; Written by Anna Strom

https://t.co/7U39yqnxfI SvD:s Klimatresa visar upp framtidens teknik för att göra helt fossilfri bensin av @Bio4Energy och @eco_oilsverige. Se SvD:s film under länken!
— Bio4Energy (@Bio4Energy) September 27, 2019

Attachments:
Se hur matrester blir till bensin i Umeås skog -- Svenska Dagbladet	[ ]	1278 kB

New Projects Kick Off to Check Merits of New Biofuels in System Perspective

Details: Created: Friday, 06 September 2019 09:00; Written by Anna Strom

Renewable TFuelsSystems Credit f3 Centre Bio4Energy is part of five of nine projects to apply system analysis on new biofuels, recently granted by the funding programme Renewable Transportation Fuels and Systems.Bio4Energy is part of a swathe of new research projects to check whether various types of advanced biofuels can make the cut in the mix and competition with other fuels on the market. All are biofuels whose application is high in demand.

This has led the Swedish Energy Agency, in collaboration with the f3 Swedish Knowledge Centre for Renewable Transportation Fuels (f3 Centre); to create a research-funding programme called Renewable Transportation Fuels and Systems. Spanning the years 2018 through 2021, its second round of funding has just been granted, with Bio4Energy participation in five of nine projects. Little wonder then, that Bio4Energy’s coordinator at the f3 Centre is pleased.

“This is a good way to create a continuous stream of research [results] regarding the systemic conditions of technology-based projects. In Bio4Energy we are already experts at collaborating with each other, and here the collaboration can be extended to other funding programmes coordinated by the Energy Agency”, according to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., associate professor at the Luleå University of Technology in northern Sweden.

Wetterlund herself is in charge of one the newly granted projects, called Future-proof biofuels through improved use of biogenic carbon – Carbon, climate and cost efficiency (K3).

Course Opening for Students, Industry Wanting to Place Bio-based Innovations in System Perspective

Details: Created: Friday, 23 August 2019 17:15; Written by Anna Strom

B4E students AnnaStrom Bio4Energy young researchers present their ideas for new courses in the Bio4Energy Graduate School, at Skellefteå, Sweden in May 2019. Photo by Bio4Energy.Systems’ Perspectives on Biomass Resources – one of the two generic course in the Bio4Energy Graduate School for PhD and postdoctoral researchers – is set to kick off at Luleå, Sweden, in October.

The course gives an overview of methods and tools to assess the efficiency of a nascent bio-based technology from an environmental and economic perspective, and as part of the mix of technologies already on the market. It also comes with a project assignment, designed to give participants hands-on experience of applying system analysis in some form.

“The purpose of this course is to place technology-based research in perspective so that the student [specialised in a certain niche of biorefinery research] gains an understanding of the way in which his or her work fits into a larger, societal perspective,” said course coordinator This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

“We want to give them methods and tools for that”, professor Lundmark added.

Systems’ Perspectives on Biomass Resources is open to PhD and postdoctoral researchers interested in biorefinery, as well as representatives of industry. See below the Bio4Energy flyer for this third edition of the course. The deadline for applications is 27 September this year.

“The expectation on those who enrol is active participation. They will be asked to bring their own research or subject of interest into the course. For instance, they can select a project they are already working on and apply system analysis to that”, Lundmark said.

Attachments:
Course flyer_Systems' Perspectives on Biomass Resources_Bio4Energy©2019	[ ]	2123 kB

Holiday Greetings from Bio4Energy

Details: Created: Wednesday, 17 July 2019 19:46; Written by Anna Strom

It is finally the time when suit jackets can be doffed and shorts and bathing suits donned. It is the time of summer vacation for many of the Bio4Energy researchers and students. We would like to take this opportunity to greet all our followers and stakeholders. Please keep in touch.

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New Leader for Bio4Energy System Analysis & Bioeconomy

Details: Created: Thursday, 20 June 2019 16:15; Written by Anna Strom

RobLundmark LTUx400 Economist Robert Lundmark will be heading the R&D platform Bio4Energy System Analysis and Bioeconomy. Photo by courtesy of the Luleå University of Technology.The research and development platform Bio4Energy System Analysis and Bioeconomy has a new leader.

In so doing, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., professor of Economics at the Luleå University of Technology, is taking over the reins of an all-important entity in Bio4Energy—made up of 30 researchers at three universities—whose members have the responsibility to assess whether the R&D carried out by the rest of the research environment are economically, environmentally and socially sustainable.

“You could say that our role is to highlight results from the other Bio4Energy platforms [that develop biorefinery technologies] and put them in a system’s context. Conversely, we put research questions and are able to suggest avenues of research for the other platforms. It is give and take”, Lundmark said.

Unlike his colleague and predecessor, LTU professor This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Lundmark is an economist, but with a focus on natural resources.

“My focal area is the interface between forest and energy issues, assessing the cost of various uses of forest raw materials and bioenergy”.

Having clinched his PhD at LTU in northern Sweden, Lundmark went onto undertake postdoctoral studies at the International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis in Austria. Northern Sweden wanted him back, however. Lundmark became senior lecturer at the university from which he had graduated, promoted in 2011 to be a professor.

He has been part of Bio4Energy from the start in 2010, and was a member of the previous Process Integration Platform, for the first five years.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., on the same R&D platform but at Umeå University, will second him and be a coordinator for platform researchers based at Umeå.

Sweden's Progress Towards Bioeconomy Showcased at Conference

Details: Created: Thursday, 13 June 2019 14:16; Written by Anna Strom

Bio4Energy was at BioBase 2019, a conference at Piteå, Sweden designed to show the country's progress in the transition towards a bioeconomy and challenges that lie ahead. The 250 attendees were a variety of stakeholders to the bioenergy and biorefinery sector in Sweden and about 10 other countries. Bio4Energy had its own session on Tailored Trees, Improved Growth and New Products – Towards a Bioeconomy.

“As Bio4Energy we contributed by showing how the cooperation between our universities and institutes can contribute to strengthen the development of a bio-based economy. Our work covers the entire [biorefinery] value chain”, said This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.who coordinated Bio4Energy’s presence at the event.

“We were able to show that we have developed processes and built networks that make us well placed to go into the future. The products in our product portfolio are such that industry and society want”, according to Rova, who is Bio4Energy deputy programme manager and a professor at the Luleå University of Technology.