Before a tree reaches for the sky, its story forms quietly within the wood. There, nitrogen acts as a subtle signal that guides growth and change. Through her research, Anna Renström uncovers this hidden dialogue and reveals how developing wood senses and responds to the nutrients shaping it. In ancient Eastern wisdom, it is said […]
For centuries, we’ve known how to make paper from wood.Who would have imagined that one day it could help heal wounds?Science keeps pushing boundaries and makes the impossible possible. Cellulose, in particular, is nature’s quiet masterpiece: a strong, fibrous network that gives trees their strength and shape. These structures work together, forming the tall forests […]
“It was an amazing mix of lectures, nature, and great people.” This September, Bio4Energy PhD student Alexandra Aveling packed her bags for a week of science and discovery at the Nanochemistry Camp in Iseo, Italy, a small lakeside town surrounded by mountains and olive trees.To get there, she chose a scenic and memorable route by […]
On 8–9 September, Bio4Energy’s Advisory Board gathered at the RISE facilities in Piteå for two days of exchange, reflection, and inspiration, this year with a focus on pyrolysis and gasification. Following the traditional lunch-to-lunch format, the meeting opened with a series of presentations from participants, who shared recent progress and results from their respective fields […]
Doctoral research explores new links between energy, health and sustainability in rural Africa. Access to clean and reliable energy remains a major challenge in rural sub-Saharan Africa. Millions of families still use traditional and inefficient cookstoves, which pollute homes with smoke, cause respiratory illness, place heavy burdens on women who collect firewood, and contribute to […]
The 2024 Bio4Energy Annual Report is now available on our website. The past year clearly reflects the continued strength and activity within our research environment. In fact, 2024 stands out as a record year for collaboration, with more reported external partners than ever before. It also came close to setting a new record for the […]
Bio4Energy researchers came together in Luleå on 26–27 May 2025 for the biannual Researchers’ Meeting, an occasion to share scientific insights, discuss future directions, and reinforce the strong collaborative spirit that defines the Bio4Energy research environment. Around 60 participants took part in the event, which began with a shared dinner at Hotel Clarion Sense. The […]
Linn Berglund, senior lecturer in wood and bionanocomposites at Luleå University of Technology and part of the Bio4Energy research environment, has been awarded a multi-million SEK grant from the Jubileumsfonden to pursue a high-risk, high-reward research project. Her research explores how forest industry residues can be refined into nanocellulose, a highly promising material for advanced […]
Quicklime production is one of Sweden’s most carbon-intensive industrial processes. Now, new research from Umeå University shows that electrification could become a realistic route to fossil-free production, without compromising product quality. In her doctoral thesis, Katarzyna Olovsson investigates how electric heating can replace fossil fuels in quicklime production. Using a laboratory-scale electric furnace, she studied […]
