News from the Biofertiliser Certification Scheme

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The Research Hub - Hub Governance Paper available!

Posted: 14 February, 2019. Written by Olivia Furssedonn

The REAL Compost and Biofertiliser Certification Schemes’ Research Hub (“The Hub”) is a tool to source funding from the compost and anaerobic digestion industries in order to develop the technical and regulatory aspects of certified compost and digestate production, testing and usage.

The primary benefit of the Research Hub will be the increased amount of evidence available for the industry to develop and ensure long-term competitiveness and growth.

The Hub is funded by CCS/BCS participants through the collection of annual research fees. The research fees are calculated relative to feedstock input tonnage. The Hub will be managed by REAL and its operation overseen by a Research Panel. The Panel will manage the funds and outline the process for appointing organisations to deliver the objectives of projects funded by The Hub. The Panel will also decide which projects will be funded, determine the ways in which the results may be used, and help to disseminate the outcomes.

Scheme participants, as well as industry stakeholders, have the opportunity to influence the work of the Hub through the submission of a Research Project Proposal. This proposal should surmise your research thoughts/objectives and project ideas.

The proposed method for submission and identification of research projects and the associated timescale is as follows:

  • Submission of research proposals and ideas – the deadline for Research Project Proposals is 13 February 2019.
  • The inaugural meeting of the Research Panel, scheduled for 27 February 2019, will consider the projects proposed by scheme participants/stakeholders and by the CCS and BCS Technical Advisory Committee. The Panel will determine which project proposals are realistic and these will be shortlisted.
  • The CCS/BCS participants will be responsible for voting, via Survey Monkey, for the projects that they would like to see proceed to tender. The survey will last for four weeks; results will be available in early April.
  • REAL will analyse the results of the survey in preparation for a meeting of the Research Panel in June, at which research projects will be prioritised.
  • The tender process is likely to take place during July and August - contractors for the first projects will be appointed in September.

You can find the Research Hub Governance Paper, which details the operation of the Hub and its objectives, below. This paper was finalised on the 7 February 2019.

If you would like to submit a Research Project Proposal, or should you have any queries related to proposals or the Research Hub in general, please contact Olivia Furssedonn, Administrative and Projects Assistant for the Hub, at olivia@realschemes.org.uk.

REAL are pleased to inform you that The Research Hub website is in its design phase. It is anticipated that The Hub website will be launched in June 2019. The BCS Research Hub website page is due to be updated in the coming weeks. 

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