Bioenergy funding

Research Councils UK (RCUK) has announced £12m of funding for collaborations between British universities and institutions in China, India and the US.

The awards include a UK-Indian research project that aims to deliver sustainable decentralised bioenergy.

The three-year £3m grant, co-funded by RCUK and the Indian Department of Science and Technology, has been made to Aston University and the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.

The project, which will focus on bioenergy technology and business solutions for both countries, will use wasteland and wastewater to grow biomass to provide energy for heating in the UK and energy for cold storage and food processing in India.

Lord Drayson, minister of state for Science and Innovation, said: ‘The RCUK Science Bridges Awards are an excellent example of how the UK is encouraging research that has both strong international collaborations and close links with business.

‘By working with international partners we can benefit from their expertise and get more value from our investment in the UK’s world-class research community.

‘These collaborations have the potential to provide solutions to important challenges facing the UK and the world, in areas such as sustainable biofuels, food and water security and healthcare.’

Other RCUK Science Bridges awards approved this year are a UK-China consortium looking at new developments in high-speed, secure internet communications and a project involving Manchester University that will explore new healthcare technologies.