3MT Finalist Md Mashum Billal

Md Mashum Billal

Mechanical Engineering, College of Natural + Applied Science

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Waste to Renewable Electricity: A Circular Economy Approach

Introduce yourself...

I am working as a graduate research assistant in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta. I am pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering Management, Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alberta, Canada. I am an Assistant Professor (study leave), Department of Industrial & Production Engineering (IPE), Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology (RUET), Bangladesh. I am passionate about renewable energy modeling and techno-economic optimization.

What are you researching and what do you hope comes out of your research?

My research is focused on a geographic information system-based optimization model for a multi-feedstock biomass supply chain for multi-product generation through integrated biorefineries. My research objective is to maximize the net profit through optimizing the integrated biorefinery facilities' sizes, numbers, and locations. I am using exclusion, preference, and suitability analysis through a GIS-based multi-criterion (environmental, economic, and social) decision-making (MCDM) model to identify candidate sites for multi-feedstock biomass through integrated facilities. The study's primary outcome is the optimized biomass to the renewable energy supply chain..

How did presenting a Three Minute Thesis (3MT) help explain your research to the public?

It is one of my best experiences to present my technical knowledge to a general audience in only three minutes and one slide. I present my research from a different angle without relying on jargon and technical words. Through the 3MT format, I learned how to present a purely technical topic easily to the public briefly.

What inspires you to do research?

Nowadays, we are experiencing extreme weather conditions like forest fires are increasing due to climate change, and greenhouse gas emissions are the main reason for climate change. I am inspired by this urgent challenge of climate change and facilitated to work on renewable energy production through minimizing the overall environmental and economic effects.

What are three keywords important to your 3MT?

Energy modeling, Greenhouse gas emissions, optimization

How does your research impact local, provincial, or global communities at large?

I am working in biomass modeling and optimization considering Alberta's biomass like municipal solid waste, forest residue, and agricultural residue. The biomass to the renewable energy supply chain is optimized to maximize the net profit. This initiative will replace fossil fuels consumption to meet the greenhouse gas reduction target of 2050. My work is focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Canada and beyond.


Image Description - This shows the process. Waste is collected and transported to the facility to transform into gas which can be converted into renewable electricity. This can be supplied to power homes and vehicles repeatedly, called the circular economy.


Watch Md Mashum's Three Minute Thesis