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Richard J. Murphy
Centre for Environment and Sustainability, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK

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Journal article
Published: 14 August 2021 in Sustainability
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The main aim of the new agricultural scheme, Environmental Land Management, in England is to reward landowners based on their provision of ‘public goods’ while achieving the goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan and commitment to net zero emission by 2050. Earth Observation (EO) satellites appear to offer an unprecedented opportunity in the process of monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) of this scheme. In this study, we worked with ecologists to determine the habitat–species relationships for five wildlife species in the Surrey Hills ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ (AONB), and this information was used to examine the extent to which EO satellite imagery, particularly very high resolution (VHR) imagery, could be used for habitat assessment, via visual interpretation and automated methods. We show that EO satellite products at 10 m resolution and other geospatial datasets enabled the identification and location of broadly suitable habitat for these species and the use of VHR imagery (at 1–4 m spatial resolution) allowed valuable insights for remote assessment of habitat qualities and quantity. Hence, at a fine scale, we obtained additional habitats such as scrub, hedges, field margins, woodland and tree characteristics, and agricultural practices that offer an effective source of information for sustainable land management. The opportunities and limitations of this study are discussed, and we conclude that there is considerable scope for it to offer valuable information for land management decision-making and as support and evidence for MRV for incentive schemes.

ACS Style

Ana Andries; Richard J. Murphy; Stephen Morse; Jim Lynch. Earth Observation for Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification within Environmental Land Management Policy. Sustainability 2021, 13, 9105 .

AMA Style

Ana Andries, Richard J. Murphy, Stephen Morse, Jim Lynch. Earth Observation for Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification within Environmental Land Management Policy. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (16):9105.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ana Andries; Richard J. Murphy; Stephen Morse; Jim Lynch. 2021. "Earth Observation for Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification within Environmental Land Management Policy." Sustainability 13, no. 16: 9105.

Journal article
Published: 30 June 2021 in Energies
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Energy supply for clean cooking is a priority for Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG, i.e., propane or butane or a mixture of both) is an economically efficient, cooking energy solution used by over 2.5 billion people worldwide and scaled up in numerous low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Investigation of the technical, policy, economic and physical requirements of producing LPG from renewable feedstocks (bioLPG) finds feasibility at scale in Africa. Biogas and syngas from the circular economic repurposing of municipal solid waste and agricultural waste can be used in two groundbreaking new chemical processes (Cool LPG or Integrated Hydropyrolysis and Hydroconversion (IH2)) to selectively produce bioLPG. Evidence about the nature and scale potential of bioLPG presented in this study justifies further investment in the development of bioLPG as a fuel that can make a major contribution toward enabling an SSA green economy and universal energy access. Techno-economic assessments of five potential projects from Ghana, Kenya and Rwanda illustrate what might be possible. BioLPG technology is in the early days of development, so normal technology piloting and de-risking need to be undertaken. However, fully developed bioLPG production could greatly reduce the public and private sector investment required to significantly increase SSA clean cooking capacity.

ACS Style

Kimball Chen; Matthew Leach; Mairi Black; Meron Tesfamichael; Francis Kemausuor; Patrick Littlewood; Terry Marker; Onesmus Mwabonje; Yacob Mulugetta; Richard Murphy; Rocio Diaz-Chavez; John Hauge; Derek Saleeby; Alex Evans; Elisa Puzzolo. BioLPG for Clean Cooking in Sub-Saharan Africa: Present and Future Feasibility of Technologies, Feedstocks, Enabling Conditions and Financing. Energies 2021, 14, 3916 .

AMA Style

Kimball Chen, Matthew Leach, Mairi Black, Meron Tesfamichael, Francis Kemausuor, Patrick Littlewood, Terry Marker, Onesmus Mwabonje, Yacob Mulugetta, Richard Murphy, Rocio Diaz-Chavez, John Hauge, Derek Saleeby, Alex Evans, Elisa Puzzolo. BioLPG for Clean Cooking in Sub-Saharan Africa: Present and Future Feasibility of Technologies, Feedstocks, Enabling Conditions and Financing. Energies. 2021; 14 (13):3916.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kimball Chen; Matthew Leach; Mairi Black; Meron Tesfamichael; Francis Kemausuor; Patrick Littlewood; Terry Marker; Onesmus Mwabonje; Yacob Mulugetta; Richard Murphy; Rocio Diaz-Chavez; John Hauge; Derek Saleeby; Alex Evans; Elisa Puzzolo. 2021. "BioLPG for Clean Cooking in Sub-Saharan Africa: Present and Future Feasibility of Technologies, Feedstocks, Enabling Conditions and Financing." Energies 14, no. 13: 3916.

Journal article
Published: 26 June 2021 in Energies
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Anaerobic digestion (AD) can bring benefits in terms of effective management of organic waste, recovery of nutrients and energy recovery, and is consistent with circular economy principles. AD has been promoted and implemented worldwide, but at widely differing scales, influenced by the availability and location of feedstocks. In developing countries, feedstock arises from small- to medium-scale agriculture and agro-processing operations, as well as from household and municipal waste. Biogas produced from residues from agro-processing facilities may be used for on-site heat and power, but the lack of a gas and electricity grid infrastructure can limit opportunities to distribute gas or generated electricity to wider users. This paper presents the findings of the first study to consider novel technologies for small-scale and low-cost biogas clean-up into biomethane, and compression into small bottles, suitable as a clean cooking fuel. The paper reports on the initial evaluation of biomethane for cooking in Ghana and Uganda.

ACS Style

Mairi Black; Amitava Roy; Edson Twinomunuji; Francis Kemausuor; Richard Oduro; Matthew Leach; Jhuma Sadhukhan; Richard Murphy. Bottled Biogas—An Opportunity for Clean Cooking in Ghana and Uganda. Energies 2021, 14, 3856 .

AMA Style

Mairi Black, Amitava Roy, Edson Twinomunuji, Francis Kemausuor, Richard Oduro, Matthew Leach, Jhuma Sadhukhan, Richard Murphy. Bottled Biogas—An Opportunity for Clean Cooking in Ghana and Uganda. Energies. 2021; 14 (13):3856.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mairi Black; Amitava Roy; Edson Twinomunuji; Francis Kemausuor; Richard Oduro; Matthew Leach; Jhuma Sadhukhan; Richard Murphy. 2021. "Bottled Biogas—An Opportunity for Clean Cooking in Ghana and Uganda." Energies 14, no. 13: 3856.

Journal article
Published: 31 March 2021 in Sustainability
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There is a growing demand for an integrated assessment to identify and select asset management options based on sustainability in the wastewater industry. However, water companies are often not equipped with a rigorous methodology and sufficient resources to perform sustainability assessments. Although many frameworks and tools for sustainability assessment have been developed in academia, practical challenges such as feasibility and usability remain when implementing sustainability assessment methods to support corporate decision-making. This study developed a Multi-Criteria Analysis based framework to evaluate wastewater treatment processes from a sustainability perspective. This study firstly explored the decision and organizational context of a water company with preliminary interviews and then applied the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) with composite scores to evaluate wastewater technologies at a sewage treatment works. The preliminary interviews with stakeholders highlighted that the existing investment decisions were primarily driven by financial cost and compliance whilst calling for a wider consideration of other criteria. A selection of assessment criteria and indicators were then proposed to compare seven treatment technologies at a sewage treatment works. The results of composite scores indicated that the baseline activated sludge process (ASP) was the best option for this study. Experience from the development process highlighted usability, stakeholder engagement and the organizational context should all be considered as part of the design and implementation of the sustainability assessment. The insights from this study provide a valuable practical foundation for applying a multi-criteria approach to perform sustainability assessments and inform asset management decisions in the water company.

ACS Style

Jiean Ling; Eve Germain; Richard Murphy; Devendra Saroj. Designing a Sustainability Assessment Framework for Selecting Sustainable Wastewater Treatment Technologies in Corporate Asset Decisions. Sustainability 2021, 13, 3831 .

AMA Style

Jiean Ling, Eve Germain, Richard Murphy, Devendra Saroj. Designing a Sustainability Assessment Framework for Selecting Sustainable Wastewater Treatment Technologies in Corporate Asset Decisions. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (7):3831.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jiean Ling; Eve Germain; Richard Murphy; Devendra Saroj. 2021. "Designing a Sustainability Assessment Framework for Selecting Sustainable Wastewater Treatment Technologies in Corporate Asset Decisions." Sustainability 13, no. 7: 3831.

Review
Published: 22 January 2021 in Sustainability
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Composite materials, such as carbon fibre reinforced epoxies, provide more efficient structures than conventional materials through light-weighting, but the associated high energy demand during production can be extremely detrimental to the environment. Biocomposites are an emerging material class with the potential to reduce a product’s through-life environmental impact relative to wholly synthetic composites. As with most materials, there are challenges and opportunities with the adoption of biocomposites at the each stage of the life cycle. Life Cycle Engineering is a readily available tool enabling the qualification of a product’s performance, and environmental and financial impact, which can be incorporated in the conceptual development phase. Designers and engineers are beginning to actively include the environment in their workflow, allowing them to play a significant role in future sustainability strategies. This review will introduce Life Cycle Engineering and outline how the concept can offer support in the Design for the Environment, followed by a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of biocomposites throughout their life cycle.

ACS Style

Amy Fitzgerald; Will Proud; Ali Kandemir; Richard Murphy; David Jesson; Richard Trask; Ian Hamerton; Marco Longana. A Life Cycle Engineering Perspective on Biocomposites as a Solution for a Sustainable Recovery. Sustainability 2021, 13, 1160 .

AMA Style

Amy Fitzgerald, Will Proud, Ali Kandemir, Richard Murphy, David Jesson, Richard Trask, Ian Hamerton, Marco Longana. A Life Cycle Engineering Perspective on Biocomposites as a Solution for a Sustainable Recovery. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (3):1160.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Amy Fitzgerald; Will Proud; Ali Kandemir; Richard Murphy; David Jesson; Richard Trask; Ian Hamerton; Marco Longana. 2021. "A Life Cycle Engineering Perspective on Biocomposites as a Solution for a Sustainable Recovery." Sustainability 13, no. 3: 1160.

Journal article
Published: 12 December 2020 in Sustainability
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This paper presents the results of research designed to explore the challenges involved in the use of Earth Observation (EO) data to support environmental management Brazil. While much has been written about the technology and applications of EO, the perspective of end-users of EO data and their needs has been under-explored in the literature. A total of 53 key informants in Brasilia and the cities of Rio Branco and Cuiaba were interviewed regarding their current use and experience of EO data and the expressed challenges that they face. The research builds upon a conceptual model which illustrates the main steps and limitations in the flow of EO data and information for use in the management of land use and land cover (LULC) in Brazil. The current paper analyzes and ranks, by relative importance, the factors that users identify as limiting their use of EO. The most important limiting factor for the end-user was the lack of personnel, followed by political and economic context, data management, innovation, infrastructure and IT, technical capacity to use and process EO data, bureaucracy, limitations associated with access to high-resolution data, and access to ready-to-use product. In general, users expect to access a ready-to-use product, transformed from the raw EO data into usable information. Related to this is the question of whether this processing is best done within an organization or sourced from outside. Our results suggest that, despite the potential of EO data for informing environmental management in Brazil, its use remains constrained by its lack of suitably trained personnel and financial resources, as well as the poor communication between institutions.

ACS Style

Mercio Cerbaro; Stephen Morse; Richard Murphy; Jim Lynch; Geoffrey Griffiths. Challenges in Using Earth Observation (EO) Data to Support Environmental Management in Brazil. Sustainability 2020, 12, 10411 .

AMA Style

Mercio Cerbaro, Stephen Morse, Richard Murphy, Jim Lynch, Geoffrey Griffiths. Challenges in Using Earth Observation (EO) Data to Support Environmental Management in Brazil. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (24):10411.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mercio Cerbaro; Stephen Morse; Richard Murphy; Jim Lynch; Geoffrey Griffiths. 2020. "Challenges in Using Earth Observation (EO) Data to Support Environmental Management in Brazil." Sustainability 12, no. 24: 10411.

Journal article
Published: 02 December 2020 in Sustainability
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The South East of England has an abundance of woodland, which offers a potential sustainable timber and fuel resource in parallel with being a much-loved part of rural life and rich ecological wildlife habitat. An ever-increasing quantity of mature broadleaved trees is available for harvest forms, with appropriate management and a sustainable yield potential, set against the backdrop of only 10% of UK timber demand currently supplied from UK-grown resource. There has been little systematic research into the factors that limit the sector and initiatives to address the challenge have not had a significant impact on the amount of woodland under management. Through semi-structured interviews across the wood supply chain, this research provides an integrated analysis of the factors limiting woodland management in the South East of England. The findings indicate the sector is complex, multifaceted, slow to respond to change and driven by a strong set of human, economic, environmental, and structural motivations away from use of local wood product. A novel insight from the research was that although there was a positive affinity for forestry and a strong culture of woodland management across the spectrum of stakeholders, there was little evidence of effective collaboration or sector integration. These factors have been summarised in a ‘rich picture’ providing a visual and intuitive way of engaging with stakeholders. This research fills a significant gap in understanding the dynamics of forestry in the South East of England and provides new underpinning evidence for policy makers to design interventions aimed at delivering better sustainable utilisation of woodland resources in parallel with offering support to rural communities and economies.

ACS Style

Caroline Greenslade; Richard Murphy; Stephen Morse; Geoffrey Griffiths. Seeing the Wood for the Trees: Factors Limiting Woodland Management and Sustainable Local Wood Product Use in the South East of England. Sustainability 2020, 12, 10071 .

AMA Style

Caroline Greenslade, Richard Murphy, Stephen Morse, Geoffrey Griffiths. Seeing the Wood for the Trees: Factors Limiting Woodland Management and Sustainable Local Wood Product Use in the South East of England. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (23):10071.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Caroline Greenslade; Richard Murphy; Stephen Morse; Geoffrey Griffiths. 2020. "Seeing the Wood for the Trees: Factors Limiting Woodland Management and Sustainable Local Wood Product Use in the South East of England." Sustainability 12, no. 23: 10071.

Journal article
Published: 08 January 2020 in Sustainability
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Brazil has some of the world’s most important forest and natural ecosystem resources and their sustainability is of global importance. The expansion of agriculture for livestock, the extractive industries, illegal logging, land conflicts, fire and deforestation are pressures on land use and drivers of land use change in many regions of Brazil. While different institutions in Brazil have sought to use Earth Observation (EO) data to support better land use management and conservation projects, several problems remain at the national and state level in the implementation of EO to support environmental policies and services provided to Brazilian society. This paper presents the results of a systematic analysis of the key challenges in using EO data in land management in Brazil and summarises them in a conceptual model of the factors influencing EO data use for assessing sustainable land use and land cover in Brazil. The research was based on a series of in-depth, semi-structured interviews (43) and structured interviews (53) with key stakeholders who make use of EO data across different locations in Brazil. The major challenges identified in the complex and multifaceted aspects of using this information were associated with access to, and with the processing of, raw data into usable information. The analysis also revealed novel insights on a lack of inter-institutional communication, adequate office infrastructure and personnel, availability of the right type of EO data and funding restrictions, political instability and bureaucracy as factors that limit more effective use of EO data in Brazil at present. We close this analysis by considering how EO information for the sustainable management of land use and land cover can assist institutions as they respond to the varied political and economic instabilities affecting environmental governance and deforestation levels.

ACS Style

Mercio Cerbaro; Stephen Morse; Richard Murphy; Jim Lynch; Geoffrey Griffiths. Information from Earth Observation for the Management of Sustainable Land Use and Land Cover in Brazil: An Analysis of User Needs. Sustainability 2020, 12, 489 .

AMA Style

Mercio Cerbaro, Stephen Morse, Richard Murphy, Jim Lynch, Geoffrey Griffiths. Information from Earth Observation for the Management of Sustainable Land Use and Land Cover in Brazil: An Analysis of User Needs. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (2):489.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mercio Cerbaro; Stephen Morse; Richard Murphy; Jim Lynch; Geoffrey Griffiths. 2020. "Information from Earth Observation for the Management of Sustainable Land Use and Land Cover in Brazil: An Analysis of User Needs." Sustainability 12, no. 2: 489.

Journal article
Published: 16 September 2019 in Sustainability
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In 2015, member countries of the United Nations adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the Sustainable Development Summit in New York. These global goals have 169 targets and 232 indicators based on the three pillars of sustainable development: economic, social, and environmental. However, substantial challenges remain in obtaining data of the required quality and quantity to populate these indicators efficiently. One promising and innovative way of addressing this issue is to use Earth observation (EO). The research reported here updates our original work to develop a Maturity Matrix Framework (MMF) for assessing the suitability of EO-derived data for populating the SDG indicators, with a special focus on those indicators covering the more social and economic dimensions of sustainable development, as these have been under-explored in terms of the contribution that can be made by EO. The advanced MMF 2.0 framework set out in this paper is based on a wide consultation with EO and indicator experts (semi-structured interviews with 38 respondents). This paper provides detail of the evolved structure of MMF 2.0 and illustrates its use for one of the SDG indicators (Indicator 11.1.1). The revised MMF is then applied to published work covering the full suite of SDG indicators and demonstrates that EO can make an important contribution to providing data relevant to a substantial number of the SDG indicators.

ACS Style

Ana Andries; Stephen Morse; Richard Murphy; Jim Lynch; Emma Woolliams. Seeing Sustainability from Space: Using Earth Observation Data to Populate the UN Sustainable Development Goal Indicators. Sustainability 2019, 11, 5062 .

AMA Style

Ana Andries, Stephen Morse, Richard Murphy, Jim Lynch, Emma Woolliams. Seeing Sustainability from Space: Using Earth Observation Data to Populate the UN Sustainable Development Goal Indicators. Sustainability. 2019; 11 (18):5062.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ana Andries; Stephen Morse; Richard Murphy; Jim Lynch; Emma Woolliams. 2019. "Seeing Sustainability from Space: Using Earth Observation Data to Populate the UN Sustainable Development Goal Indicators." Sustainability 11, no. 18: 5062.

Conference paper
Published: 22 May 2018 in IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering
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Generating electricity from biomass are undeniably gives huge advantages to the energy security, environmental protection and the social development. Nevertheless, it always been negatively claimed as not economically competitive as compared to the conventional electricity generation system using fossil fuel. Due to the unfair subsidies given to renewable energy based fuel and the maturity of conventional electricity generation system, the commercialization of this system is rather discouraging. The uniqueness of the chemical and physical properties of the biomass and the functionality of the system are fully depending on the availability of the biomass resources, the capital expenditure of the system is relatively expensive. To remain competitive, biomass based system must be developed in their most economical form. Therefore the justification of the economies of scale of such system is become essential. This study will provide a comprehensive review of process to select an appropriate size for electricity generation plant from palm oil mill (POM) residues through the combustion of an empty fruit bunch (EFB) and biogas from the anaerobic digestion of palm oil mill effluent (POME) in Peninsular Malaysia using a mathematical model and simulation using ASPEN Plus software package. The system operated at 4 MW capacity is expected to provide a return on investment (ROI) of 20% with a payback period of 6.5 years. It is notably agreed that the correct selection of generation plant size will have a significant impact on overall economic and environmental feasibility of the system.

ACS Style

I F Md Jaye; J Sadhukhan; R J. Murphy. Integrated Assessment of Palm Oil Mill Residues to Sustainable Electricity System (POMR-SES): A Case Study from Peninsular Malaysia. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering 2018, 358, 012002 .

AMA Style

I F Md Jaye, J Sadhukhan, R J. Murphy. Integrated Assessment of Palm Oil Mill Residues to Sustainable Electricity System (POMR-SES): A Case Study from Peninsular Malaysia. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering. 2018; 358 (1):012002.

Chicago/Turabian Style

I F Md Jaye; J Sadhukhan; R J. Murphy. 2018. "Integrated Assessment of Palm Oil Mill Residues to Sustainable Electricity System (POMR-SES): A Case Study from Peninsular Malaysia." IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering 358, no. 1: 012002.

Article
Published: 06 February 2018 in Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining
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Bio-based and bio-degradable plastics such as polybutylene succinate (PBS) have the potential to become sustainable alternatives to petrochemical-based plastics. Polybutylene succinate can be produced from bio-based succinic acid and 1,4-butanediol using first-generation (1G) or second-generation (2G) sugars. A cradle-to-grave environmental assessment was performed for PBS products in Europe to investigate the non-renewable energy use (NREU) and greenhouse gas (GHG) impacts. The products investigated are single-use trays and agricultural film, with incineration, industrial composting and degradation on agricultural land as end-of-life scenarios. Both end products manufactured from fully bio-based PBS and from partly bio-based PBS (made from bio-based succinic acid and fossil fuel-based 1,4 butanediol) were analysed. We examine corn (1G) as well as corn stover, wheat straw, miscanthus and hardwood as 2G feedstocks. For the cradle-to-grave system, 1G fully bio-based PBS plastic products were found to have environmental impacts comparable with their petrochemical incumbents, while 2G fully bio-based PBS plastic products allow to reduce NREU and GHG by around one third under the condition of avoidance of concentration of sugars and energy integration of the pretreatment process with monomer production. Without energy integration and with concentration of sugars (i.e., separate production), the impacts of 2G fully bio-based PBS products are approximately 15–20% lower than those of 1G fully bio-based PBS products. The environmental analysis of PBS products supports the value proposition related to PBS products while also pointing out areas requiring further research and development. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

ACS Style

Martin K. Patel; Aude Bechu; Juan David Villegas; Manon Bergez-Lacoste; Kenny Yeung; Richard Murphy; Jeremy Woods; Onesmus N. Mwabonje; Yuanzhi Ni; Akshay D. Patel; Joe Gallagher; David Bryant. Second-generation bio-based plastics are becoming a reality - Non-renewable energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) balance of succinic acid-based plastic end products made from lignocellulosic biomass. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining 2018, 12, 426 -441.

AMA Style

Martin K. Patel, Aude Bechu, Juan David Villegas, Manon Bergez-Lacoste, Kenny Yeung, Richard Murphy, Jeremy Woods, Onesmus N. Mwabonje, Yuanzhi Ni, Akshay D. Patel, Joe Gallagher, David Bryant. Second-generation bio-based plastics are becoming a reality - Non-renewable energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) balance of succinic acid-based plastic end products made from lignocellulosic biomass. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining. 2018; 12 (3):426-441.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Martin K. Patel; Aude Bechu; Juan David Villegas; Manon Bergez-Lacoste; Kenny Yeung; Richard Murphy; Jeremy Woods; Onesmus N. Mwabonje; Yuanzhi Ni; Akshay D. Patel; Joe Gallagher; David Bryant. 2018. "Second-generation bio-based plastics are becoming a reality - Non-renewable energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) balance of succinic acid-based plastic end products made from lignocellulosic biomass." Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining 12, no. 3: 426-441.

Review article
Published: 20 June 2017 in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
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Malaysia has a plethora of biomass that can be utilized in a sustainable manner to produce bio-products for circular green economy. At the 15th Conference of Parties in Copenhagen, Malaysia stated to voluntarily reduce its emissions intensity of gross domestic product by upto 40% by 2020 from 2005 level. Natural resources e.g. forestry and agricultural resources will attribute in achieving these goals. This paper investigates optimum bio-based systems, such as bioenergy and biorefinery, and their prospects in sustainable development in Malaysia, while analyzing comparable cases globally. Palm oil industry will continue to play a major role in deriving products and contributing to gross national income in Malaysia. Based on the current processing capacity, one tonne of crude palm oil (CPO) production is associated with nine tonnes of biomass generation. Local businesses tend to focus on products with low-risk that enjoy subsidies, e.g. Feed-in-Tariff, such as bioenergy, biogas, etc. CPO biomass is utilized to produce biogas, pellets, dried long fibre and bio-fertilizer and recycle water. It is envisaged that co-production of bio-based products, food and pharmaceutical ingredients, fine, specialty and platform chemicals, polymers, alongside biofuel and bioenergy from biomass is possible to achieve overall sustainability by the replacement of fossil resources. Inception of process integration gives prominent innovative biorefinery configurations, an example demonstrated recently, via extraction of recyclable, metal, high value chemical (levulinic acid), fuel, electricity and bio-fertilizer from municipal solid waste or urban waste. Levulinic acid yield by only 5 wt% of waste feedstock gives 1.5 fold increase in profitability and eliminates the need for subsidies such as gate fees paid by local authority to waste processor. Unsustainable practices include consumable food wastage, end-of-pipe cleaning and linear economy that must be replaced by sustainable production and consumption, source segregation and process integration, and product longevity and circular economy.

ACS Style

Jhuma Sadhukhan; Elias Martinez-Hernandez; Richard J. Murphy; Denny K. S. Ng; Mimi H. Hassim; Kok Siew Ng; Wan Yoke Kin; Ida Fahani Md Jaye; Melissa Y. Leung Pah Hang; Viknesh Andiappan. Role of bioenergy, biorefinery and bioeconomy in sustainable development: Strategic pathways for Malaysia. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 2017, 81, 1966 -1987.

AMA Style

Jhuma Sadhukhan, Elias Martinez-Hernandez, Richard J. Murphy, Denny K. S. Ng, Mimi H. Hassim, Kok Siew Ng, Wan Yoke Kin, Ida Fahani Md Jaye, Melissa Y. Leung Pah Hang, Viknesh Andiappan. Role of bioenergy, biorefinery and bioeconomy in sustainable development: Strategic pathways for Malaysia. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 2017; 81 ():1966-1987.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jhuma Sadhukhan; Elias Martinez-Hernandez; Richard J. Murphy; Denny K. S. Ng; Mimi H. Hassim; Kok Siew Ng; Wan Yoke Kin; Ida Fahani Md Jaye; Melissa Y. Leung Pah Hang; Viknesh Andiappan. 2017. "Role of bioenergy, biorefinery and bioeconomy in sustainable development: Strategic pathways for Malaysia." Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 81, no. : 1966-1987.

Journal article
Published: 01 May 2017 in Energy Policy
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Energy consumption behaviours are gradually becoming better-understood. However, there is still a deficit in terms of knowledge of individuals’ energy-use behaviours in organisations, despite a variety of available theories. This paper addresses this need in three main stages, based on a survey among mid-level managers at a major infrastructure operator in Great Britain. Firstly, a principal components analysis is performed to identify key determinant constructs driving energy-efficient behaviours in organisations, revealing the importance of perceived benefit to the organisation and flexibility of existing performance goals and targets. Secondly, cluster analysis is undertaken, in an effort to identify differences in behavioural influences between demographic groups. These clusters highlight the heterogeneity of employee populations’ energy behaviours, demonstrating that assumptions cannot be made about these based on single responses to cross-industry surveys. Finally, a structural equation model of individuals’ energy use intentions and behaviours using the newly-identified constructs is developed, revealing some similarities with existing behavioural frameworks such as the Theory of Planned Behaviour (Ajzen, 1991). Implications for policymakers are then discussed, in terms of encouraging individual employees’ curtailment of energy consumption in organisations through tailored engagement programmes

ACS Style

Rupert Zierler; Walter Wehrmeyer; Richard Murphy. The energy efficiency behaviour of individuals in large organisations: A case study of a major UK infrastructure operator. Energy Policy 2017, 104, 38 -49.

AMA Style

Rupert Zierler, Walter Wehrmeyer, Richard Murphy. The energy efficiency behaviour of individuals in large organisations: A case study of a major UK infrastructure operator. Energy Policy. 2017; 104 ():38-49.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rupert Zierler; Walter Wehrmeyer; Richard Murphy. 2017. "The energy efficiency behaviour of individuals in large organisations: A case study of a major UK infrastructure operator." Energy Policy 104, no. : 38-49.

Journal article
Published: 15 February 2017 in Sustainability
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The Planetary Boundaries (PB) framework represents a significant advance in specifying the ecological constraints on human development. However, to enable decision-makers in business and public policy to respect these constraints in strategic planning, the PB framework needs to be developed to generate practical tools. With this objective in mind, we analyse the recent literature and highlight three major scientific and technical challenges in operationalizing the PB approach in decision-making: first, identification of thresholds or boundaries with associated metrics for different geographical scales; second, the need to frame approaches to allocate fair shares in the ‘safe operating space’ bounded by the PBs across the value chain and; third, the need for international bodies to co-ordinate the implementation of the measures needed to respect the Planetary Boundaries. For the first two of these challenges, we consider how they might be addressed for four PBs: climate change, freshwater use, biosphere integrity and chemical pollution and other novel entities. Four key opportunities are identified: (1) development of a common system of metrics that can be applied consistently at and across different scales; (2) setting ‘distance from boundary’ measures that can be applied at different scales; (3) development of global, preferably open-source, databases and models; and (4) advancing understanding of the interactions between the different PBs. Addressing the scientific and technical challenges in operationalizing the planetary boundaries needs be complemented with progress in addressing the equity and ethical issues in allocating the safe operating space between companies and sectors.

ACS Style

Roland Clift; Sarah Sim; Henry King; Jonathan L. Chenoweth; Ian Christie; Julie Clavreul; Carina Mueller; Leo Posthuma; Anne-Marie Boulay; Rebecca Chaplin-Kramer; Julia Chatterton; Fabrice DeClerck; Angela Druckman; Chris France; Antonio Franco; Dieter Gerten; Mark Goedkoop; Michael Z. Hauschild; Mark Huijbregts; Thomas Koellner; Eric F. Lambin; Jacquetta Lee; Simon Mair; Stuart Marshall; Michael S. McLachlan; Llorenç Milà I Canals; Cynthia Mitchell; Edward Price; Johan Rockström; James Suckling; Richard Murphy. The Challenges of Applying Planetary Boundaries as a Basis for Strategic Decision-Making in Companies with Global Supply Chains. Sustainability 2017, 9, 279 .

AMA Style

Roland Clift, Sarah Sim, Henry King, Jonathan L. Chenoweth, Ian Christie, Julie Clavreul, Carina Mueller, Leo Posthuma, Anne-Marie Boulay, Rebecca Chaplin-Kramer, Julia Chatterton, Fabrice DeClerck, Angela Druckman, Chris France, Antonio Franco, Dieter Gerten, Mark Goedkoop, Michael Z. Hauschild, Mark Huijbregts, Thomas Koellner, Eric F. Lambin, Jacquetta Lee, Simon Mair, Stuart Marshall, Michael S. McLachlan, Llorenç Milà I Canals, Cynthia Mitchell, Edward Price, Johan Rockström, James Suckling, Richard Murphy. The Challenges of Applying Planetary Boundaries as a Basis for Strategic Decision-Making in Companies with Global Supply Chains. Sustainability. 2017; 9 (2):279.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Roland Clift; Sarah Sim; Henry King; Jonathan L. Chenoweth; Ian Christie; Julie Clavreul; Carina Mueller; Leo Posthuma; Anne-Marie Boulay; Rebecca Chaplin-Kramer; Julia Chatterton; Fabrice DeClerck; Angela Druckman; Chris France; Antonio Franco; Dieter Gerten; Mark Goedkoop; Michael Z. Hauschild; Mark Huijbregts; Thomas Koellner; Eric F. Lambin; Jacquetta Lee; Simon Mair; Stuart Marshall; Michael S. McLachlan; Llorenç Milà I Canals; Cynthia Mitchell; Edward Price; Johan Rockström; James Suckling; Richard Murphy. 2017. "The Challenges of Applying Planetary Boundaries as a Basis for Strategic Decision-Making in Companies with Global Supply Chains." Sustainability 9, no. 2: 279.

Journal article
Published: 01 July 2016 in Environment International
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The Hazardous Substances Advisory Committee (HSAC) provides expert advice to UK officials, Ministers and other relevant bodies on the protection of the environment, and human health via the environment, from potentially hazardous substances and articles. Hazardous substances are often the subject of controversy, on which individuals, and different groups in society, hold divergent views. This paper details the approach taken by HSAC when considering the evidence to provide advice on hazardous substances. Firstly HSAC reviews the range of evidence and determines its quality considering: transparency of aims, the methodology and results, completeness, independent review and accessibility. HSAC does not follow one explicit methodology as the wide range of hazardous substances we consider means they need to be addressed on a case by case basis. Most notably HSAC considers the evidence in the wider context, being aware of factors that influence individuals in their decision making when receiving a HSAC opinion e.g. trust in the source of the evidence, defensibility, conformity to a ‘world view’ and framing. HSACs also reflect on its own perspectives with the aim of addressing bias by the diversity of its membership. The Committee's intention, in adopting this rounded approach, is to reach opinions that are robust, relevant and defensible.

ACS Style

Chris D. Collins; Michelle Baddeley; Gill Clare; Richard Murphy; Susan Owens; Sophie Rocks. Considering evidence: The approach taken by the Hazardous Substances Advisory Committee in the UK. Environment International 2016, 92-93, 565 -568.

AMA Style

Chris D. Collins, Michelle Baddeley, Gill Clare, Richard Murphy, Susan Owens, Sophie Rocks. Considering evidence: The approach taken by the Hazardous Substances Advisory Committee in the UK. Environment International. 2016; 92-93 ():565-568.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Chris D. Collins; Michelle Baddeley; Gill Clare; Richard Murphy; Susan Owens; Sophie Rocks. 2016. "Considering evidence: The approach taken by the Hazardous Substances Advisory Committee in the UK." Environment International 92-93, no. : 565-568.

Journal article
Published: 01 March 2016 in Chemical Engineering Research and Design
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ACS Style

M.J. Black; J. Sadhukhan; Kenneth Day; Geoffrey Drage; Richard Murphy. Developing database criteria for the assessment of biomass supply chains for biorefinery development. Chemical Engineering Research and Design 2016, 107, 253 -262.

AMA Style

M.J. Black, J. Sadhukhan, Kenneth Day, Geoffrey Drage, Richard Murphy. Developing database criteria for the assessment of biomass supply chains for biorefinery development. Chemical Engineering Research and Design. 2016; 107 ():253-262.

Chicago/Turabian Style

M.J. Black; J. Sadhukhan; Kenneth Day; Geoffrey Drage; Richard Murphy. 2016. "Developing database criteria for the assessment of biomass supply chains for biorefinery development." Chemical Engineering Research and Design 107, no. : 253-262.

Journal article
Published: 04 September 2015 in Biotechnology for Biofuels
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Environmental issues, e.g. climate change, fossil resource depletion have triggered ambitious national/regional policies to develop biofuel and bioenergy roles within the overall energy portfolio to achieve decarbonising the global economy and increase energy security. With the 10 % binding target for the transport sector, the Renewable Energy Directive confirms the EU's commitment to renewable transport fuels especially advanced biofuels. Imola is an elite poplar clone crossed from Populus deltoides Bartr. and Populus nigra L. by Research Units for Intensive Wood Production, Agriculture Research Council in Italy. This study examines its suitability for plantation cultivation under short or very short rotation coppice regimes as a potential lignocellulosic feedstock for the production of ethanol as a transport biofuel. A life cycle assessment (LCA) approach was used to model the cradle-to-gate environmental profile of Imola-derived biofuel benchmarked against conventional fossil gasoline. Specific attention was given to analysing the agroecosystem fluxes of carbon and nitrogen occurring in the cultivation of the Imola biomass in the biofuel life cycle using a process-oriented biogeochemistry model (DeNitrification-DeComposition) specifically modified for application to 2G perennial bioenergy crops and carbon and nitrogen cycling. Our results demonstrate that carbon and nitrogen cycling in perennial crop-soil ecosystems such as this example can be expected to have significant effects on the overall environmental profiles of 2G biofuels. In particular, soil carbon accumulation in perennial biomass plantations is likely to be a significant component in the overall greenhouse gas balance of future biofuel and other biorefinery products and warrants ongoing research and data collection for LCA models. We conclude that bioethanol produced from Imola represents a promising alternative transport fuel offering some savings ranging from 35 to 100 % over petrol in global warming potential, ozone depletion and photochemical oxidation impact categories. Via comparative analyses for Imola-derived bioethanol across potential supply chains, we highlight priority issues for potential improvement in 2G biofuel profiling. Advanced clones of poplar such as Imola for 2G biofuel production in Italy as modelled here show potential to deliver an environmentally sustainable lignocellulosic biorefinery industry and accelerate advanced biofuel penetration in the transport sector.

ACS Style

Miao Guo; Changsheng Li; Gianni Facciotto; Sara Bergante; Rakesh Bhatia; Roberto Comolli; Chiara Ferrè; Richard Murphy. Bioethanol from poplar clone Imola: an environmentally viable alternative to fossil fuel? Biotechnology for Biofuels 2015, 8, 134 .

AMA Style

Miao Guo, Changsheng Li, Gianni Facciotto, Sara Bergante, Rakesh Bhatia, Roberto Comolli, Chiara Ferrè, Richard Murphy. Bioethanol from poplar clone Imola: an environmentally viable alternative to fossil fuel? Biotechnology for Biofuels. 2015; 8 (1):134.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Miao Guo; Changsheng Li; Gianni Facciotto; Sara Bergante; Rakesh Bhatia; Roberto Comolli; Chiara Ferrè; Richard Murphy. 2015. "Bioethanol from poplar clone Imola: an environmentally viable alternative to fossil fuel?" Biotechnology for Biofuels 8, no. 1: 134.

Journal article
Published: 01 January 2015 in BMC Plant Biology
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Variation in the reaction wood (RW) response has been shown to be a principle component driving differences in lignocellulosic sugar yield from the bioenergy crop willow. The phenotypic cause(s) behind these differences in sugar yield, beyond their common elicitor, however, remain unclear. Here we use X-ray micro-computed tomography (μCT) to investigate RW-associated alterations in secondary xylem tissue patterning in three dimensions (3D). Major architectural alterations were successfully quantified in 3D and attributed to RW induction. Whilst the frequency of vessels was reduced in tension wood tissue (TW), the total vessel volume was significantly increased. Interestingly, a delay in programmed-cell-death (PCD) associated with TW was also clearly observed and readily quantified by μCT. The surprising degree to which the volume of vessels was increased illustrates the substantial xylem tissue remodelling involved in reaction wood formation. The remodelling suggests an important physiological compromise between structural and hydraulic architecture necessary for extensive alteration of biomass and helps to demonstrate the power of improving our perspective of cell and tissue architecture. The precise observation of xylem tissue development and quantification of the extent of delay in PCD provides a valuable and exciting insight into this bioenergy crop trait.

ACS Style

Nicholas James Beresford Brereton; Farah Ahmed; Daniel Sykes; Michael Jason Ray; Ian Shield; Angela Karp; Richard James Murphy. X-ray micro-computed tomography in willow reveals tissue patterning of reaction wood and delay in programmed cell death. BMC Plant Biology 2015, 15, 83 -83.

AMA Style

Nicholas James Beresford Brereton, Farah Ahmed, Daniel Sykes, Michael Jason Ray, Ian Shield, Angela Karp, Richard James Murphy. X-ray micro-computed tomography in willow reveals tissue patterning of reaction wood and delay in programmed cell death. BMC Plant Biology. 2015; 15 (1):83-83.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Nicholas James Beresford Brereton; Farah Ahmed; Daniel Sykes; Michael Jason Ray; Ian Shield; Angela Karp; Richard James Murphy. 2015. "X-ray micro-computed tomography in willow reveals tissue patterning of reaction wood and delay in programmed cell death." BMC Plant Biology 15, no. 1: 83-83.

Journal article
Published: 01 January 2015 in International Journal of Nanotechnology
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Amidst the great technological progress being made in the field of nanotechnology, we are confronted by both conventional and novel environmental challenges and opportunities. Several gaps exist in the present state of knowledge or experience with nanomaterials. Understanding and managing the uncertainties that these gaps cause in LCAs is essential. Traditionally used for more established technology systems, environmental LCA is now being applied to nanomaterials by policy-makers, researchers and industry. However, the aleatory (variability) and epistemic (system process) uncertainties in LCAs of nanomaterials need to be handled correctly and communicated in the analysis. Otherwise, the results risk being misinterpreted, misguiding decision-making processes and could lead to significant detrimental effects for industry, research and policy-making. Here, we review current life cycle assessment literature for carbon nanotubes, and identify the key sources of uncertainty that need to be taken into consideration. These include: the potential for non-equivalency between mass and toxicity (potentially requiring inventory and impact models to be adjusted); the use of proxy data to bridge gaps in inventory data; and the often very wide ranges in material performance, process energy and product lifetimes quoted.

ACS Style

S. Parsons; Richard Murphy; J. Lee; G. Sims. Uncertainty communication in the environmental life cycle assessment of carbon nanotubes. International Journal of Nanotechnology 2015, 12, 620 .

AMA Style

S. Parsons, Richard Murphy, J. Lee, G. Sims. Uncertainty communication in the environmental life cycle assessment of carbon nanotubes. International Journal of Nanotechnology. 2015; 12 (8/9):620.

Chicago/Turabian Style

S. Parsons; Richard Murphy; J. Lee; G. Sims. 2015. "Uncertainty communication in the environmental life cycle assessment of carbon nanotubes." International Journal of Nanotechnology 12, no. 8/9: 620.

Journal article
Published: 31 July 2014 in Green Chemistry
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This study presents current and prospective environmental profiles of poplar-derived bioethanol across various potential EU supply chains.

ACS Style

Miao Guo; Jade Littlewood; James Joyce; Richard Murphy. The environmental profile of bioethanol produced from current and potential future poplar feedstocks in the EU. Green Chemistry 2014, 16, 4680 -4695.

AMA Style

Miao Guo, Jade Littlewood, James Joyce, Richard Murphy. The environmental profile of bioethanol produced from current and potential future poplar feedstocks in the EU. Green Chemistry. 2014; 16 (11):4680-4695.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Miao Guo; Jade Littlewood; James Joyce; Richard Murphy. 2014. "The environmental profile of bioethanol produced from current and potential future poplar feedstocks in the EU." Green Chemistry 16, no. 11: 4680-4695.