BEACON Wales

BEACON is led by Aberystwyth University in collaboration with partners at Bangor and Swansea Universities. We are backed with £10.6 million from the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government. BEACON will build on research already underway at Aberystwyth University’s Institute of Biological Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) to produce fuels from energy crops such as high-sugar grasses like rye. Bangor University will build on work to develop new materials and chemicals from plants which can be used to develop innovative products. BEACON will also enable Swansea University to focus on developing their expertise in using bacteria and fungi to digest, or ferment, plant matter within the biorefining process. BEACON aims to contribute to developing renewable energy and assist in the transition to a low carbon economy with an overall objective of mitigating the impact of climate change.