3 new projects have received fast track funding
SDU Climate Cluster supports 3 new projects aiming to improve public health in India, create softer cream cheese and butter and break down barriers to Power To X.
The last projects of 2023 to receive fast track instruments from SCC have been identified.
The fast track instrument from SCC is given to free research ideas and hypotheses as well as to establish pilot projects that can later form the basis for larger external research applications.
The fast track instrument is intended to be a testing ground for new interdisciplinary research collaborations at SDU that support SCC's mission to contribute to climate neutrality by 2050.
These are the last projects of 2023 to receive funding
How do climate changes affect public health in India?
We have limited empirical evidence of the impact of climate change on health outcomes in low and middle income countries. This is unfortunate as it has been predicted that these countries will face the largest damages due to climate change. This project aims to generate knowledge to understand how different aspects of climate change affect the health and well-being of people residing in two Indian states. Using advanced machine learning and statistical approaches, the researchers will analyze climate data and health data to map the complex relationship between climate and health and build a model to predict vulnerable regions and populations more accurately. In collaboration with India's leading public health research institute, the researchers aim to generate impactful knowledge to assist the Indian government in designing and implementing policies to minimize the impact of climate change on the population’s health.
Project title: Empirical assessment and predictive modeling of the impact of climate change on the health of coastal communities in India.
Researchers:
- Angela Chang, Associate Professor, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences
- Seetha Menon, Associate Professor, Department of Economics, Faculty of Business and Social Sciences
- Carolin Löscher, Associate Professor, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science
More creamy and softer plant-based foods
A quarter of the world's greenhouse gas emissions comes from food production. There is a need for more climate friendly foods, such as plant-based products, to replace for example CO2-heavy dairy products. However, when it comes to creamy dairy products like butter and cream cheese, there are challenges in achieving the same softness. The research team will develop new methodology aimed at understanding and improving the texture of soft, spreadable plant-based foods like butter and cream cheese. The researchers will quantify microscopic changes and correlate them with what happens to the texture of the product when some ingredients change their state (solid to liquid and vice versa). This will be done in an interdisciplinary environment with experts from fields such as food science and liquid crystal physics. The data generated in this initial project phase will pave the way for further in-depth studies of various plant-based foods that can drive the transition to sustainable alternatives.
Project Title: PlantFoods: Microscopic and rheological explorations of plant-based food products.
Researchers:
- Jose C. Bonilla, Assistant Professor, Department of Green Technology, Faculty of Engineering
- Francesca Serra, Associate Professor, Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Pharmacy, Faculty of Sciences
Enhancing commercialization opportunities for Power to X
Power to X (PtX) is an integrated energy technology that seeks to address the challenge of storing energy from sources like wind turbines. Technological development focuses on storage, and by incorporating CO2 capture to convert the gas into carbon form we can obtain what is known as “green fuel.” Significant investments are being made in the technology by the transportation sector, but because the technology integrates several technologies in a constructive interaction, it requires a strong ecosystem for future commercialization. The development of technological interactions is a major focus, while the paths to commercialization are still associated with many uncertainties and limited focus. Experience from other technologies shows that the formation of an ecosystem through breaking down barriers and focusing on commercialization is crucial for the development of the industry. The project will identify and interview relevant stakeholders and conduct a workshop to identify and validate barriers and opportunities.
Project Title: Identifying barriers and opportunities in the Danish Power-to-X ecosystem.
Researchers:
- Martin Kalthaus, Associate Professor, Center for Integrative Innovation Management, Faculty of Business and Social Sciences
- Mette Præst Knudsen, Professor, Center for Integrative Innovation Management, Faculty of Business and Social Sciences
- Lykke Margot Ricard, Associate Professor, Department of Technology and Innovation, Faculty of Engineering