Entries by Anna Strom

Spin-off Wins Prize for ‘Great Potential’ of Plant Nutrition Products with Minimal Footprint

A university spin-off headed up by Bio4Energy researchers and partners have won a prize for the “great potential” of their innovative technology that helps new tree or agricultural plants take root, while drastically reducing negative impacts such as nutrient runoff to ground water, acidification and greenhouse gas emissions, compared with conventional fertilizers. Arevo of Sweden […]

New leader for Feedstock Pre-processing Eyes Critical Raw Materials as New Direction for Research

Bio4Energy’s smallest research platform has a new leader with a grand vision. Mikael Thyrel of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) has been a member of the research environment since the outset in 2010. In fact, he first joined the laboratory of Bio4Energy’s first programme manager, professor emeritus Stellan Marklund of Umeå University. There, […]

Three-year Project Could Set Steelmaker Well on Way to Hydrogen-based Operations

Industry and academia are teaming up to enable a phase out of fossil fuels in Sweden-based steelmaking industry. Steelmaker SSAB will be collaborating with Luleå University of Technology (LTU) and the metal industry’s research institute Swerim. After many years of preparatory work, and a multitude of projects, nearly SEK50 million (€4.1 million) will be invested […]

Breakthrough Innovation: Hydrogels from Norwegian Kelp to Be Commercialised

Bio4Energy researchers are behind a breakthrough innovation that can be used to make bio-based and biodegradable hydrogels. Hydrogels are key components in materials used to restore or maintain human health such as wound healing, tissue engineering, artificial organs or everyday contact lenses. The ingenuity of hydrogels lies in a dichotomy: While they are able to […]

Field Trials Confirm: Aspen Trees May be Modified for Easier Access for Biorefinery Production

Field trials of transgenic aspen trees have confirmed that genetic modification is indeed a possible avenue for rendering wood less resistant to breakdown into components suitable for making biofuel, “green” chemicals or bio-based materials. Research just out shows not only how to modify tree plants for superior yield of desired sugar-based content, but also offers industry […]

New Projects Supported by Bio4Energy Strategic Funds

Twenty per cent of all funding to Bio4Energy is set aside as Strategic Funds used to create synergies, explore and address new and important avenues of research. In 2023, several such strategic projects will be launched, following a call for funding during the autumn. The first two projects started on 1 January 2023, with additional […]

Season’s Greetings from Bio4Energy

Bio4Energy wants to wish its members and followers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! What have you got coming for 2023? Bio4Energy has more research and development, a new course in the Bio4Energy Graduate School, as well as a continued aim for excellence and usefulness of results produced. We hope that you will […]

New Coordinator for Graduate School: Course Starts in 2024

The Bio4Energy Graduate School, with flagship training on biorefinery demonstration and systems analysis of biomass resources, has a new coordinator. Dimitris Athanassiadis of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) at Umeå is taking over from Sylvia Larsson, who has moved on to industry and is working at MoRe Research, Örnsköldsvik. Athanassiadis is not only […]

Recycling of Plastics and Forest Management Under Loup in New Projects

While a part of the research community is trying to develop plastics from bio-based materials; as an alternative to petrochemicals; a group of Bio4Energy researchers are looking at how to reuse or recycle traditional plastic using bio-based processes. Two projects were granted last month, one by the national funders Swedish Research Council and more recently […]

Plants Adapt their Lignin Using Chemical ‘Encoding’ Enzymes, New Report Suggests

Bio4Energy Associated Member Edouard Pesquet, previously with Umeå University, is part of a group of internationally leading scientists on fundamental research on the plant polymer lignin. Pesquet was part of the organisation team that started the international conference Lignin in 2014. Because of his experience with Bio4Energy at Umeå, Sweden and the support he gained during his time here—becoming […]