Senior Post-Doctoral Researcher – Bioenergy and Biofuels Research Group

MaREI is a key research centre within UCC’s Environmental Research Institute (ERI), which is an internationally recognised Institute for environmental research dedicated to the understanding and protection of our natural environment and to developing innovative technologies, tools and services to facilitate a transformation to a zero carbon and resource efficient society. The MaREI Centre is an SFI funded research centre headquartered in the ERI and includes 13 other Universities and Third Level Institutes from across Ireland, has 50 industrial partners and has accumulated research funding of approximately €60m. It combines the expertise of a wide range of research groups and industry partners, with the shared mission of solving the main scientific, technical and socio-economic challenges across the climate, energy and marine spaces.  MaREI is also funded by SEAI, EI, EPA, ERDF, EU, HEA, Marine Institute, DCCAE and IRC, as well as through contributions from our industry partners. Researchers in the MaREI Centre have over 30 years of experience in conducting fundamental and applied research supported by competitively won national and international funding, and commercial contracts with government agencies and industry. MaREI’s strengths lie in the multi-disciplinary nature of its research teams, allowing it to combine insights across areas such as MRE Technologies, Materials & Structures, Observations & Operations, Coastal & Marine Systems, Bioenergy, Energy Policy & Modelling and Renewable Energy Management.

B2RG was initiated in the ERI in 2007 by Prof. Jerry D Murphy. B2RG focus on renewable gaseous biofuel production (biohydrogen and biomethane) from 2nd generation biofuel substrates such as wastes, agricultural residues and lignocellulosic energy crops, and 3rd generation biofuel substrates such as macro-algae (seaweed) and micro-algae. Research covers biological and thermochemical bioenergy pathways. The group investigates a range of digestion applications at lab scale including for innovative technologies such as Power to Gas, demand driven biogas and novel biogas upgrading technologies. Fundamental and applied aspects of biomass gasification, pyrolysis, and methanation are also investigated. Work includes for desktop analyses such as chemical kinetic modelling, process simulation, geographic specific bioresources, Life Cycle Analysis, sustainability analyses and techno-economic studies. B2RG’s work facilitates the development of roadmaps, which describe how Ireland can initiate a green gas industry, which would contribute to mandatory renewable energy targets for renewable heat and transport fuel.

The Senior Post-Doctoral Researcher will be responsible for management of the laboratories used by the bioenergy and biofuels research group within the ERI.

 

The project will assess the performance of by-products of alcohol distillation as feedstock for use in the production of biogas from anaerobic digestion. Data from experimental trials and literature will be used to determine the techno-economic feasibility of using by-products for biogas production, along with guidance on the design and set up of potential pilot scale trials.

 

Contact Person: Dr Richard O’Shea