A Green Technology for Enhancing Resource Recovery from Sewage Sludge. This project aims to develop an innovative technology to recover valuable resource from sewage sludge by enhancing transformation of sewage sludge into high-value medium chain fatty acids and methane. Wastewater treatment generates large amounts of resource-rich sewage sludge. However, the poor biodegradability of sewage sludge is a key barrier that impedes the efficient resource recovery. By advancing the underpinning scienc ....A Green Technology for Enhancing Resource Recovery from Sewage Sludge. This project aims to develop an innovative technology to recover valuable resource from sewage sludge by enhancing transformation of sewage sludge into high-value medium chain fatty acids and methane. Wastewater treatment generates large amounts of resource-rich sewage sludge. However, the poor biodegradability of sewage sludge is a key barrier that impedes the efficient resource recovery. By advancing the underpinning science and introducing a novel technology that innovatively harnesses a human waste, the project expects to remove the barrier. Expected project outcomes will turn sewage sludge from an undesirable waste to a valuable resource. This should provide significant benefits for Australia’s renewable energy and resource sectors.Read moreRead less
Overcoming microplastics induced inhibition on waste-to-energy conversion . This project aims to develop an innovative technology and the underpinning science to achieve stable and efficient mitigation of emerging microplastics induced inhibition that is becoming a key barrier hindering waste-to-energy conversion in anaerobic digestion. Anaerobic digestion is a low-cost technology widely used to divert sewage sludge to renewable energy production. However, the increasing levels of microplastics ....Overcoming microplastics induced inhibition on waste-to-energy conversion . This project aims to develop an innovative technology and the underpinning science to achieve stable and efficient mitigation of emerging microplastics induced inhibition that is becoming a key barrier hindering waste-to-energy conversion in anaerobic digestion. Anaerobic digestion is a low-cost technology widely used to divert sewage sludge to renewable energy production. However, the increasing levels of microplastics captured in sludge leads to low methane yield and process failure due to their small size and specific characteristics. The outcome of the project will remove the emerging barrier to enhance energy recovery that can be applied in existing anaerobic digestion infrastructure for addressing Australia’s increasing energy demand.Read moreRead less
Yeast cell-cell communication of overcrowding and nutrient limitation: novel signalling systems and their impact on fermentation. The project will investigate known and novel signalling molecules that allow communication between yeast cells and impact on fermentation dynamics, specifically in a nutrient-depleted environment. The mechanisms by which these molecules exert their effect will be defined using a systems biology approach that integrates many analyses and data sets.
Maximising Bioenergy Recovery from Sewage Sludge. Sewage treatment is producing large amounts of sewage sludge, which represents a substantial, but largely untapped, energy source. This project aims to develop and demonstrate an innovative, economically attractive and environmentally friendly technology, and the underpinning science, to maximize bioenergy recovery from sewage sludge. The technology is based on the treatment of sludge using free ammonia, a by-product of sewage treatment. This pro ....Maximising Bioenergy Recovery from Sewage Sludge. Sewage treatment is producing large amounts of sewage sludge, which represents a substantial, but largely untapped, energy source. This project aims to develop and demonstrate an innovative, economically attractive and environmentally friendly technology, and the underpinning science, to maximize bioenergy recovery from sewage sludge. The technology is based on the treatment of sludge using free ammonia, a by-product of sewage treatment. This project is expected to benefit Australia by substantially reducing the reliance on fossil fuels and accelerating a shift to affordable renewable energy. The outcomes of the project would provide significant energy, economic, environmental and social benefits for Australians. Read moreRead less