Work Packages

Work package 1 oversees sourcing and providing suitable space for trials and the development of our technology. Its focus is to optimise the systems for maximised growth rate, minimised resource usage, with the least environmental impact at the lowest cost.

The overarching aim of work package 2 is to demonstrate our technology’s capacity to rapidly grow superior SRC willow. There are two strands to the work package which draw together plant science experts to conduct trials and process engineering academics to conduct data modelling. The plant science trials are concerned with the optimisation of the technology for the best growth by closely monitoring the behaviour of the crops in the innovation. Our data modelling stream utilises the data recorded by our plant scientists to generate a data set that can further forecast and inform the optimisation of the system.

The purpose of work package 3 is to identify potential applications of our technology to other crops (for example hazel, forestry, Miscanthus), and to investigate its potential to accelerate crop breeding programs. Genotypes will be identified which may display superior performance in our systems and these will be tested (in collaboration with work package 2).

Sustainability is of vital importance to the project. Work package 4 will be conducting a thorough life cycle analysis (LCA) to measure our innovation’s sustainable credentials in preparation for our future commercial ambitions.

Work package 5 quantifies the socio-economic benefits of the innovation, using an innovative UK based Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model. Socioeconomic and GHG impacts of our innovation in the wider system will be simulated, under various scenarios, taking macro- and microeconomic factors into account.

Work Package 6 will demonstrate a viable route to market and establish the appropriate business model to achieve commercialisation. Multi-sector stakeholder engagement and market analysis will be used to develop a detailed commercialisation plan which will, in turn, be used to create a trial supply chain. This work package will also manage brand and commercial identity for the project.