Aim: To create awareness on Theme 3 of EBNet – Technology Interfaces
Technology Interfaces cut across the other two themes of EBNet: Pollutants and Media, and Microbiology/Engineering. The main driver for this theme is to translate the outcomes of environmental biotechnology into societal benefits. For this, systematic appraisal at a whole process flowsheet level as well as supply chain system level is necessary using a full range of sustainability criteria.
Even though a process may look promising at a laboratory scale, in reality its scale-up could be challenging, as could process integration and sustainable implementation. Many considerations including technical, environmental, social and economic aspects have to be taken into account and analysed, using tools and methodologies which are sometimes standardised and at other times more fundamental. Process integration or process systems engineering tools stem from the idea of the highest efficiency flowsheet development with the maximum in-process recovery of energy and material resources. The integrated process flowsheet is then inherently more economically viable than others, where the majority of the cost may be incurred from external heating, cooling, electricity and reagent supplies.
Following the process integration principles, assessments from separation to utility system designs and optimisation are conducted. There are fundamental tools to help scale-up and process integration to create a design with the highest economic margin and resource efficiency. In addition, sustainability assessment is necessary through life cycle assessment (ISO14040-44) and social responsibility analysis (ISO26000) to ensure that across the scales (temporal: life cycle; spatial: supply chain) the process is sustainable.
A Working Group on this unique and highly relevant theme is necessary to create awareness amongst the EBNet community of the tools and methodologies available to optimise from the unit process through to whole systems. Applying these tools and methodologies will help researchers and practitioners promote industrial uptake of their technologies, and help policy-makers to produce evidence-based systematic decision analysis.
Interested?
Contact the WG Co-ordinator:
Prof Jhuma Sadhukhan, University of Surrey, CEng (Chartered Engineer), CSci (Chartered Scientist) and FIChemE (Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers). I lead interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary biorefinery and bioeconomy research and education. Email: J.Sadhukhan@surrey.ac.uk
Latest news
See the PISA WG tag for News items on this topic
Videos are available on the WG’s YouTube Playlist
For activities to March 2026, see the PISA WG Report
WG activities
Workshops and training
An introduction to Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) course, 26–27 November 2024, The Guildhall, St Martins Courtyard, Coney St, York YO1 9QL. BBNet, HVB, EBNet and the Supergen Bioenergy Hub jointly offer this ‘An Introduction to Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Methodology’ Course. LCA is a rapidly evolving tool used to determine impacts of products or systems over a range of environmental and resource issues. Applying this method of assessment is complex and difficult, and translating the theory into a credible, transparent and applicable practice can be challenging. The two day in-person course will provide an introduction to LCA methodology (following ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards) and how to apply LCA in your bioeconomy based setting. Delivered by colleagues from University College London, the course took place on 26 and 27 November in York, UK.Â
Training Course: LCA in practice – 28-30 October 2024 9-17:00, Wates Treetops, University of Surrey, in person.
This course aimed to develop skills in the LCA methodology by providing in-depth training on LCA methodology, and practical experience of doing LCAs in practice. Learning outcomes: Be able to deploy resources required to do an LCA study in practice; Identify the key benefits and challenges of the application of LCA for a range of purposes; Develop practical skills in LCA problem-solving; Be able to critically evaluate the quality of an LCA study done by others.
Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) Workshop: GWP standards, carbon offsetting schemes, carbon footprint calculator and offsetting methodologies and techno-economic analysis (TEA) – 30 April 2024 10-16:00, Chilworth Science Park, Southampton, in person.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for the EBNet Industrial AD Community – Goal and Scope – 30 October 2023 10-16:00, University of Surrey, in person.
Webinars
See here for details of the WG’s second freely available webinar on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for Biotechnology Problems: targeted fundamental methodology – 16 March 10-12:00 UK. The webinar recording is available here.
The WG’s first open workshop on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Tools for Environmental Biotechnology took place on 12 December 2022, 13-16:00 UK. The webinar recording is available here.
Outputs
Strategic navigation of world-leading biorefineries and Mexico’s policy landscape: A gateway to a sustainable circular bioeconomy. Sadhukhan, J., Martinez-Hernandez, E., Allieri, M.A.A., EguĂa-Lis, J.A.Z., Castillo, A., Dominguillo, D., Torres-GarcĂa, E. and Aburto, J., 2023. Journal of cleaner production, p.140386.
Novel Life Cycle GHG Formulations of Anaerobic Digestion Systems Aligned with Policy. Zhang, R., Sadhukhan, J., Zhang, D., Short, M., McKechnie, J., Liu, Y., Bywater, A., Murali, R., Dolat, M., Zhang, D. and Zarei, M. Available at SSRN 4837715. (with AI/ML WG)
Carbon credits monetary value for anaerobic digestion systems and energy policy implication in the UK. Zhang, D., Li, D., Bywater, A., Short, M. and Sadhukhan, J., 2025. The Innovation Energy, 2(1), pp.100066-1.
Framework for optimal energy storage duration for maximum-reliability renewable electricity. Sadhukhan, J., Sen, S. and Randriamahefasoa, T.M.S., 2024. Frontiers in Energy Research, 12, p.1430413.
