LAHORE: In an innovative way to tackle Punjab’s seasonal smog while reducing reliance on imported coal, UK’s Northumbria University and the University of Kamalia have joined hands on a £1.25 million clean-energy project designed to transform crop waste into cheap industrial fuel.

Farmers across Punjab usually burn vast qu­­antities of cotton stalks, sugarcane residue, and other agricultural waste in open fields, sev­erely aggravating the region’s air quality. The situation worsens with the onset of winters.

The collaboration between the UK and Pakistani institutions seeks to divert this biomass into a commercially viable alternative to fossil fuels. After years of joint research, the project is entering the execution phase.

Secured under Innovate UK’s Energy Catalyst Round 11 — a flagship initiative of the UK government’s International Science Partnerships Programme — the international consortium also includes UK-based Eco Research Limited, No Text Solutions, and other partner organisations.

Initiative to help reduce crop burning, cut energy import bills, create new revenue streams

Formally inaugurated in July and endorsed by Punjab Minister for Higher Education Rana Sikandar Hayat, the SAFER PLUS project is being led by Northumbria University’s School of Engineering, Physics and Mathematics, with the University of Kamalia serving as the lead Pakistani institution.

The project is headed by Dr Jibran Khaliq alongside Dr Shahid Rasool, moving into execution after five to six years of joint research, according to University of Kamalia Vice-Chancellor Dr Yasir Nawab.

Dr Nawab told Dawn that the Kamalia demonstrator plant would operate with a capacity of 10 to 12 tonnes, utilising a controlled thermal conversion process similar to pyrolysis to yield three high-value outputs: bio-coal, wood vinegar, and gas.

The resulting bio-coal pellets are formulated to replace imported coal in brick kilns and textile boilers, with project estimates suggesting a 40 to 50pc reduction in fuel costs for industrial users.

Laboratory trials revealed the plant operates at up to 20 per cent higher efficiency than conventional biofuel plants. Dr Nawab emphasised that the zero-waste process emits no sulphur or methane, and the facility will generate electricity at an estimated cost 15pc lower than conventional grid power.

Three Pakistani textile manufacturers have already agreed to test the bio-coal in their boilers. Financially, the University of Kamalia will hold a stake in the project’s commercial profits. The plant is expected to generate around 150 local jobs, many reserved for university students in evening shifts, and will power a new electric vehicle charging station on campus.

Beyond energy generation, the academic consortium has built a community-driven biomass supply chain into the project’s design. A women-led cooperative will manage the collection and transport of crop residue from surrounding farms.

Over 120 households are slated to receive regular income, with payments transferred directly into women’s mobile wallets to foster direct economic independence. At least 60pc of all training slots under the initiative are designated for women.

“The objective isn’t merely to build a plant and hope the local community benefits,” Dr Nawab said. “The supply chain is structured so that the people collecting the waste hold the contracts and receive the payments directly.”

To incentivise farmers against open burning, the university will offer competitive prices for crop waste. Large landholders will sign supply contracts, while tractor-trolley networks will collect residue from smallholders.

Discussions are also underway with the Faisalabad Waste Management Company and the Parks and Horticulture Authority to source additional biomass.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2026