The EPSRC Programme Grant on Off-grid Water Technologies Plenary Meeting was held on the 9th December 2024. The event was held at the University of Glasgow with others joining online via Zoom.

The agenda included a welcome from our Principal Investigator, Professor Bill Sloan. From the Research Team presentations were received from Dr Tania Gomez-Borraz on ‘Heat Generating Bioreactors’ and Dr Siming You and Dr Jade Liu on ‘Technology Options for Island Communities’.

We were thrilled to receive a lively presentation from Donnie Macmillan of Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar
(Western Isles) Council. Donnie shared useful information from his experience in delivering the Outer Hebrides Local Energy Hub. The lessons learned, in overcoming the barriers of implementing new technology in a rural community, will greatly benefit our project as we move forward.

We were also pleased to have in attendance Dr Rijan Maharjan from the Phutung Research Institute in Nepal. Dr Maharajan is working alongside two of our Researchers, Dr Justin Sperling and Dr Baptiste Poursat, in developing new, low-cost, sustainable water monitoring sensors for deployment in decentralised rural areas. We were fascinated to learn about how the Phutong Research Institute has focussed on addressing ignored challenges in developing countries.

The enthusiastic participation of our attendees led to lively discussions and assisted in moving forward our aims and objectives for 2025.