Cross-disciplinary research for Discovery Science - University of Sheffield
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Sheffield
Department Name: School of Biosciences
Abstract
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Sue Hartley (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Neesham-McTiernan T
(2025)
The spatial potential for agrivoltaics to address energy-agriculture land use conflicts in Great Britain
in Applied Energy
| Description | This award supported five teams to engage with other disciplines outside of the usual NERC remit. This exploratory award provided the opportunity for researchers from different fields to engage and investigate future collaboration. It achieved: - Proof of concept data. For example Daniell (Plant Sciences) and Williams (Nutrition expert) established a screening methodology, exploring wheat selenium uptake with and without basalt addition, in soil with and without a history of basalt addition and with and without direct root access. - New data sets. For example Hipperson's combined genomic & chemical data set on viral host plants. - Interdisciplinary collaborations that are working towards applications for further funding. E.g. Daniell and Williams submitted an EOI for UKRI netzero in health hub bid call. |
| Exploitation Route | This award provided funds for those to engage with others at the very start of the research question formulation process. These nascent groups are ever expanding and bringing in new expertise where appropriate. For example, Tait (Planning) submitted an ESRC Research Bid, September 2023 titled: Planning for Nature Recovery: the role of spatial planning in preventing habitat and biodiversity loss. If successful this has a community building element to it including academic and non academic participation. The pilot data and new networks from all of the projects are being used as a springboard for further activity. |
| Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Environment |
| Description | Several of the projects engaged with policy makers. - Tait (planning) project - Ecologists and practicing policy planners discussed mutual concerns around the relationships between land use policy and biodiversity loss. The project team created a list of policy gaps and future evidence requirements. - Edwards (Plant scientist) project - brought together a very wide range of potential end users of the teams' work, including the military, lawyers, prosecutors and NGOs. The challenges around detecting illegal selective logging in Latin America were shared and highlighted to each group. The team are now working on solutions. - Johnston (microbiologist) project - the Sheffield City Council Air Quality Office is now involved in studies looking into the threat of fungal disease in a changing climate and human population. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2023 |
| Sector | Environment |
| Impact Types | Policy & public services |
| Description | Demonstration of AV systems to farmers and and training of agricultural researchers |
| Geographic Reach | Africa |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | Both Kenyan and Tanzanian media have reported on the benefits of AV technology and those reports have included East African researchers explaining what they have learned about the technology and its benefits and their research findings on Kenyan TV and on other media outlets eg. https://www.re-tv.org/articles/agrivoltaics and https://www.voanews.com/a/solar-panel-technology-boosts-yields-for-farmers-in-kenya-/6508069.html and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTEKq3CnuHo |
| Description | Planning for Nature Recovery: the role of spatial planning in preventing habitat and biodiversity loss |
| Amount | £822,779 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ES/Z503459/1 |
| Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2025 |
| End | 06/2027 |
| Description | Advisory work with Planning Democracy (Scotland, NGO) on their evaluation of biodiversity policies in National Planning Framework 4 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Advisory work with Planning Democracy (Scotland, NGO) on their evaluation of biodiversity policies in National Planning Framework 4 (February 2024), leading to publication of 'Community-led Report on NPF4 Biodiversity Policy Delivery', available at https://www.planningdemocracy.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Community-Led-report-on-NPF4-Biodiversity-Policy-Delivery-2024-2.pdf , Involvement, M. Tait (Report presented at event at Scottish Parliament, 20th February 2024, sponsored by Ariane Burgess, MSP) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.planningdemocracy.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Community-Led-report-on-NPF4-Biodive... |
| Description | Agrivoltaics can be a happy marriage between solar and farmland |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Picked up from an academic paper by Air Quality News |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://airqualitynews.com/fuels/agrivoltaics-can-be-a-happy-marriage-between-solar-and-farmland/ |
| Description | Paper presented at UK Planning Research Conference, Glasgow, September 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Paper presented at UK Planning Research Conference, Glasgow, September 2023. Title: The myth of balance in spatial planning |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Research shows solar can meet UK electricity demand four-fold without loss of farmland |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Picked up from an academic paper by Solar Power Portal. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.solarpowerportal.co.uk/research-shows-solar-can-meet-uk-electricity-demand-four-fold-wit... |
| Description | Solar Technology Could Meet UK's Electricity Needs Without Sacrificing Farmland |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Picked up by the media from an academic paper by EurasiaReview |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.eurasiareview.com/01032025-solar-technology-could-meet-uks-electricity-needs-without-sac... |
| Description | Solar could meet electricity demand four-fold without sacrificing farmland |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Academic paper picked up and disseminated by Energy Live News |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Solar solutions: Agrivoltaics offer array of options for farmland use |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Picked up from an academic paper by Cornell University (United States of America) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2025/02/solar-solutions-agrivoltaics-offer-array-options-farmland-u... |
| Description | Study Shows Solar And Farming Can Co-Exist In UK |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Academic paper interest picked up by Clean Technica publication online. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://cleantechnica.com/2025/03/01/study-shows-solar-and-farming-can-co-exist-in-uk/ |
| Description | University of Sheffield research shows UK solar targets can be achieved without sacrificing farmland |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Picked up from an academic paper by Energy Global publications |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.energyglobal.com/solar/28022025/university-of-sheffield-research-shows-uk-solar-targets-... |