Cranfield University has launched the green technologies (greentech) Grand Challenge to accelerate the development and implementation of environmentally benign technologies across a wide range of sectors: from manufacturing, materials, transport, to aerospace, energy, water services, and waste management.
To achieve the Government’s Net Zero 2050 targets and many of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), rapid transitions based on a fine-grained understanding of the consequences of introducing more sustainable alternative methods and technologies are needed. Relevant SDG goals where Greentech plays a significant role include those relating to increasing the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix, adopting clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, improving air quality, and improving municipal and industrial waste management.
Although, with investment, the world could move to 100% renewable energy sources relatively quickly, a rapid transition would result in lack of capacity and intermittent, more expensive energy supply. The same challenge applies to other sectors seeking to radically improve the sustainability of their operations such as aerospace, transport, and manufacturing. In other words, there needs to be a managed and responsible transition - making use of well understood technologies whilst other sustainable solutions which require structural adjustments are developed to a fully workable stage. The promise of Greentech can only be realised if the wider system level implications are fully considered; for example, the carbon footprint and logistics chain implications of new materials use or the impact of water recycling schemes on existing infrastructure operation.
The COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 has impacted us all and the ramifications for the various parts of society and the economy are still to be fully understood and quantified. Nevertheless, this offers an opportunity to think differently about promoting sustainable growth and clean development through stimulation and investment in specific sectors. The call for a 'green recovery', together with pressures to mitigate climate change, adopt circular economy principles and achieve Net Zero targets, provides incentive for the rapid development of Greentech solutions. A recent report commissioned by WWF and produced by Vivid Economics stated that “the UK can unlock up to £90b in annual benefits by spurring a green recovery from the coronavirus pandemic by focusing on the Net Zero transition”, going on to highlight sectors such as the built environment, electric vehicles (EVs), power generation, green buildings, manufacturing of low carbon goods, and development of better green areas, as areas with high potential to create new jobs and revenues. The UK Government has pledged over £500m new investment in green technologies for a cleaner and healthier future.
Academics at Cranfield are working on a range of projects, in partnership with industry, to deliver sustainable and ground-breaking green technologies to achieve the following objectives:
Create a future with lower greenhouse emissions, mitigating climate change
Related academics:
- Dr Ali Nabavi,
- Dr Dawid Hanak,
- Dr Kumar Patchigolla,
- Professor Nigel Simms,
- Professor Vasilije Manovic,
- Professor Ben Anthony,
- Professor John Oakey.
Related case studies and projects:
Produce and store renewable energy
Related academics:
- Dr Kumar Patchigolla,
- Dr Peter Clough,
- Dr Chao Long,
- Dr Joao Amaral Teixeira,
- Mr Andrew Mills,
- Professor Chris Sansom,
- Professor John Oakey,
- Professor Philip Longhurst,
- Professor Patrick Luk.
Related case studies and projects:
Deliver smart and low carbon ground and air transport
Related academics:
- Dr Daniel Auger,
- Dr Yifan Zhao,
- Dr Henrik Rothe,
- Professor Keith Mason,
- Professor Patrick Luk,
- Professor Antonios Tsourdos,
- Dr Craig Lawson.
Case studies and projects:
- Driverless operation in passenger cars,
- Multi-car collision avoidance using artificial intelligence (AI),
- Travel needs of the ageing passenger population,
- Urban turbine,
- Green airports,
- Integrated through-life support for high-value systems,
- Enabling heterogeneous unmanned aerial vehicles,
- Aircraft electrification.
Deliver sustainable manufacturing
Related academics:
Related case studies and projects:
- Manufacturing through computer modelling and simulation,
- Sustainable materials from paper manufacturing waste,
- Remanufacture for circular computing,
- Printing the future,
- Wire-laser additive manufacturing,
- Self-powered electrochemical promotional of catalysis,
- Developing composite material recycling and remanufacturing.
Develop circular products
Related academics:
Related case studies and projects:
Improve air quality
Related academics
- Dr Iq Mead,
- Dr Valerio Ferracci,
- Dr Chris Walton,
- Professor Neil Harris,
- Professor Fred Coulon,
- Professor Sean Tyrrel.
Related case studies and projects:
- Improving air quality in buildings,
- Improving air quality in cities,
- Monitoring of bioaerosols,
- Atmospheric measurements and modelling.
Allow for waste and pollution management through sustainable processes and recycling
Related academics:
Related case studies and projects:
- Plastic into energy,
- The hidden potential of landfill,
- Renewable energy from food waste,
- Circularity and regeneration of brown sites,
- Valorising industrial waste.
Deliver nature-based solutions and promote water conservation
Related academics:
- Dr Gabriela Dotro,
- Professor Bruce Jefferson,
- Dr Heather Smith,
- Dr Caitriona Shannon.
Related case studies and projects:
Enable carbon valorisation and nutrient recovery from wastewater, sludge and urine
Related academics:
- Dr Ana Soares,
- Dr Marc Pidou,
- Professor Ewan McAdam,
- Dr Yadira Bajon Fernandez,
- Professor Bruce Jefferson,
- Professor Tom Stephenson.
Related case studies and projects:
Deliver water and sanitation
Related academics:
- Dr Alison Parker,
- Professor Ewan McAdam,
- Professor Leon Williams,
- Professor Sean Tyrrel,
- Professor Frederic Coulon.
Related case studies and projects:
The projects and activities that span around the green technologies Grand Challenge is enabled and supported by academics dedicated to assessing different aspects of sustainable technological, organisational and social innovation:
- Corporate sustainability (Dr Rosina Watson)
Case studies: Game of life - Logistics and supply chain management (Professor Michael Bourlakis, Professor Daniel Prior, Professor Emel Aktas)
Projects: Influence of circular economy principles on value proposition development in business markets - Futures analysis, communication and engagement with stakeholder groups (Dr Kenisha Garnett)
Case studies: Precautionary principle in EU legislation - Public perception and governance (Dr Heather Smith, Dr Simon Jude, Professor Paul Jeffrey, Professor Simon Pollard)
Case studies and projects: Resilience in the international water utility sector, Maximising socio-economic benefits of sustainable approaches - Business models and investment (Dr Richard Adams)
Blog: Blockchain for Good - Promoting diversity in the workplace (Professor Michael Dickmann)
Project: Tackling labour and skills shortages in the EU - Impact of sustainability in livelihoods (Dr Nazmiye Ozkan)
Blog: Solving water issues in concentrated solar thermal power plants - Life cycle assessments (Dr Adrian Williams)
Projects: UK Agricultural GHG platform
