Design and Evaluation of Sustainable Biomass-to-Biofuel Supply Chains within Food Systems

About the Project

Project Description:

The College of Business, Technology and Engineering draws on talents, expertise and facilities across Sheffield Hallam University. The vision is to be the leading provider of applied research excellence delivering business, materials, computing, science and engineering innovations meeting the development needs of industry.

This project is part of a Graduate Teaching Assistantship scheme, in which the successful applicant will undertake certain teaching duties associated with the student experience, in addition to working towards a PhD qualification. They will contribute up to 180 hours of support for research or teaching related activity per academic year. This activity forms part of the scholarship and there is no additional payment.

PhD Research Topic:

The UK’s commitment to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 is driving innovation and transformation across all sectors, including agri-food systems, to improve sustainability and resource efficiency. Livestock farming generates substantial quantities of slurry and manure, presenting a significant opportunity for resource recovery and value creation. These residues contain valuable nutrients and energy that can be effectively harnessed and reintegrated into the economy. By adopting improved management and valorisation strategies, agri-food systems can reduce environmental impacts while contributing to circular economy principles and low-carbon energy production.

One promising pathway for valorising these residues is their conversion into sustainable fuels. This PhD project investigates how agri-food residues, particularly wet biomass such as livestock slurry, can be converted using hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL). HTL is an emerging thermochemical conversion technology well suited to wet feedstocks, as it avoids the need for energy-intensive drying processes. It offers strong potential for producing low-carbon fuels that can contribute to decarbonising sectors such as aviation and maritime transport, where electrification remains challenging.

However, the successful deployment of HTL depends on both the conversion process and its integration within supply chains. Factors such as feedstock availability, seasonal variability, storage capacity, transport logistics, facility location, and policy constraints all influence the economic and environmental performance of biofuel systems. This project therefore adopts a systems-level approach, focusing on the design and evaluation of biomass-to-biofuel supply chains embedded within agri-food systems.

To address these challenges, the research combines data analysis, optimisation, and simulation within an integrated modelling framework. Agri-food residue streams will be analysed in terms of spatial distribution, seasonal availability, and sustainability constraints using public datasets and geographic information system (GIS) tools. Optimisation models will then be developed to design supply chain configurations, determining facility locations, capacity levels, and logistics strategies. These configurations will subsequently be evaluated using discrete-event simulation to capture dynamic operational conditions such as time-varying supply, storage limitations, and disruptions. Finally, the environmental and economic performance of alternative configurations will be assessed, including carbon emissions, cost, and resource efficiency.

A distinctive feature of this project is the integration of modelling with experimental insights. Access will be provided to a hydrothermal liquefaction reactor at Sheffield Hallam University, enabling the linkage between process-level performance and system-level supply chain design. The project will also investigate resilience under uncertainty, using simulation and interpretable machine learning to identify robust and adaptable supply chain configurations.

This PhD offers an opportunity to work at the intersection of sustainable food systems, energy systems, and advanced modelling techniques. The successful candidate will develop expertise in optimisation, simulation, data analytics, and sustainability assessment, with applications across both academia and industry.

The outcomes of this research will contribute to reducing environmental impacts from agriculture, supporting circular economy practices, and informing the development of low-carbon fuel supply chains.

Applicants should hold at least a 1st or 2:1 Honours degree in a related discipline.

We strongly encourage applications from individuals from groups underrepresented in postgraduate research, including but not limited to women, LGBTQ+, and minoritised ethnic groups.

Funding Notes

The GTA scholarship is for 3.5 years of full-time study and provides tuition fees at both the UK (home) and international level plus a maintenance bursary in line with guidance from UK Research and Innovation and the Living Wage Foundation (for illustrative purposes, the Sheffield Hallam University bursary for 25/26 is £22152). GTA scholarships are open to both UK (home) and international applicants.