Two Pakistani-Origin Academics Secure £1.25m UK Grant

LONDON: Two Pakistani-origin academics at Northumbria University Newcastle have secured a major grant from the UK government to develop a plant in Pakistan that will convert agricultural waste into clean energy.

The British government has provided around £1.25 million in funding for the project. A key feature of the initiative is that women in Punjab will be provided with income in return for collecting and supplying agricultural waste.

Professor Dr Shahid Rasool and Dr Jibran Khaliq from Northumbria University’s School of Engineering, Physics and Mathematics are leading the project, which has been named Safer Plus. The initiative aims to convert cotton stalks and sugarcane waste into fuel.

The academics said millions of tonnes of agricultural waste are burned every year in Punjab. They noted that the practice contributes significantly to air pollution and worsens fog and smog during the winter season.

The project is expected to provide an alternative to the burning of agricultural waste while creating an additional source of income for rural women and supporting the production of cleaner energy.

Two Pakistani-Origin Academics Secure £1.25m UK Grant for Energy Project