The Ningbo High-Tech Achievements Transaction Fair, a key event of the 2025 Zhejiang Ningbo Talent and Technology Week, opened on 20 September. Under the theme “Gathering Technology in Ningbo, Creating the Future Together”, this year’s fair aims to deepen the integration of high-quality scientific innovation resources with Ningbo’s local economic development. As a key research part of the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC), the China Beacons Institute was invited to showcase a remarkable innovation—the MPS200 Mobile Straw Pyrolysis System—a technology set to revolutionise traditional agricultural waste disposal.

This seemingly simple mobile unit is, in fact, a “portable processing factory”.  It can be driven directly into fields to convert straw on-site into high-value bio-oil and biochar, fundamentally transforming conventional straw disposal methods. Dr Dongbing Li, Associate Professor in Green Chemicals and Energy at the China Beacons Institute and lead developer of the technology, explained that the core strength of the system lies in its ability to achieve “on-site conversion, turning waste into treasure”.

Specifically, the equipment features a modular design, allowing rapid deployment—much like “building blocks”. It can complete processing in one field and relocate to continue operations elsewhere the following day. An intelligent control system further enables “multiple functions in one machine”: it can automatically adapt to process straw from different crops such as rice, wheat, and corn, and self-adjust to the optimal treatment parameters.

Beyond its technical breakthroughs, the system also delivers significant economic and environmental benefits. It is estimated that a single unit can generate bio-oil worth approximately RMB 3 million annually, with a projected payback period of three years. The on-site processing model helps farmers save over 60% in straw transportation costs. Environmentally, the system’s emissions are well below national standards, and processing one tonne of straw equates to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 1.2 tonnes.

“This technology genuinely helps farmers turn straw from a ‘burden’ into a ‘profit’,” said Dr Li, “It represents a practical application of technology benefiting agriculture, enhancing the resource utilisation of agricultural waste while achieving both economic and environmental gains.”

As one of China’s first pilot cities for innovation, Ningbo continues to promote the digital and green transformation of its manufacturing sector. Dr Li emphasised, “Our mobile processing system not only addresses the challenge of straw disposal but also aligns with Ningbo’s strategic focus on high-end equipment manufacturing and new energy industries. We are building not just a machine, but a comprehensive solution for agricultural waste resource utilisation.”

At the fair, the technology attracted strong interest from numerous environmental protection companies, energy firms, and investment institutions. According to Dr Li, the system is currently in the technical verification stage, and the team is actively developing a new-generation product to meet emerging market demands.

Dr Li added, “Nurtured by Ningbo’s vibrant innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, we are confident in achieving the industrial application of this technology. It will inject new momentum into Ningbo’s green development and rural revitalisation, offering a replicable, scalable ‘UNNC solution’ for China and the global market.”