In this new series, The Applied Ecologist is amplifying the staff and student voices from the University of Surrey’s Centre for Environment and Sustainability to showcase their diverse, interdisciplinary body of work and to help inspire the next generation.
In this post, Zoe talks about the Taeda Tech Project.
Meet Zoe Harris
I am a Senior Lecture at the Centre and the University of Surrey. I am also the project lead of the Taeda Tech Project. My core research focuses on how we can use land to provide food and energy provisions whilst minimising environmental impacts. I am currently assessing the feasibility of vertical farming and the potential it has to support the deployment of Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS).
What are you working on right now?
Taeda Tech Project is a collaborative demonstration project led by the University of Surrey that is committed to developing a novel aeroponic technology which can rapidly grow woody crops. With funding from BEIS under Phase 2 of their Biomass Feedstock Innovation Programme, as part of the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, our multi-million-pound project aims to positively disrupt the bioenergy sector.
Our vision for the future is ambitious. We want to demonstrate the untapped potential of aeroponic technologies not just as a technology that works to reduce resource consumption in growing but also to explore beyond growing leafy greens.
During the project we will be investigating the potential of our technology to cultivate a variety of woody crops, support research and development efforts to strengthen crop genetics as well as support other climate actions such as reforestation.
Who in the Centre are you working with?
In the Centre for Environment and Sustainability I currently work with Dr Lirong Liu and Professor Richard Murphy.
Within the Taeda Tech Project, we are a diverse, interdisciplinary team of innovative people collectively striving towards a sustainable future. Our female-led project involves expertise from across academia, industry and high-profile associations.
Why is this project important?
The IPCC report on mitigation demonstrates that bioenergy can provide a major opportunity to support climate change efforts and that, when used correctly, it is a negative emissions source of energy. However, for the UK to begin expanding its bioenergy potential there is a considerable bottleneck in supply of biomass that needs to be addressed. Our innovation can do just this.
Our soilless technology can cultivate short rotation coppice (SRC) willow faster, achieve a higher yield, on a smaller land footprint and to a greater degree of quality compared to traditional agriculture. We believe that our technology will enable the UK to confidently transition to cleaner energy technologies and so support efforts to achieve net zero.
Whilst research and development are at the heart of the project, we do have an eye on the bigger picture for commercial competitiveness. The project is collaborating with a host of leading academic and industrial partners.
What are the future implications of your project?
There is interesting data emerging from across our plant trials and it is clear that short rotation coppice willow is taking to the aeroponic system. With team effort we completed two harvests from across our systems and are looking forward to when the time is right to plant the cuttings in 2023 and see how well they take up in the field.
This has not been without challenge, particularly caused by the cold weather the UK experienced in December 2023. That being said, this is what ambitious innovation looks like. The next three years are about trouble shooting, so any hurdle we come across we know that it’ll strengthen our work.
As sustainable and secure energy remains a top priority for the UK government, it is an exciting time to be involved in such an ambitious and fast-paced sector. Let’s see what 2024 and 2025 have to offer.
More information about the Taeda Tech Project
Find out more about the Taeda Tech Project, my work, and follow me on Twitter.
