Clara Serrano

Since 2013 I work in the School of Engineering and Applied Science and manage a 0.5 MW pilot plant at the European Bioenergy Research Institute. My responsibilities include procurement and contract management, project management of plant modifications, maintenance and health and safety. 

 I actively contribute to the success different research projects, engagement and training activities.

Before joining EBRI I was Head of the Biomass Department at the Science and Technology Park of Albacete in Spain, where I lead the commissioning of a number of pilot plants and a biofuels laboratory.

Chemical Engineer by degree, during my PhD I specialised in the use of producer gas from biomass gasification and its combustion properties. As a Postdoc at the University of Leeds I studied the knock tendency of a spark ignition engine fuelled with producer gas from gasification.

• 2015 – date: Senior Engineer, Plant Manager at Aston University
• 2013 – 2015: Marie Curie Research Fellow, European Bioenergy Research Institute, Aston University.
• 2013 (3 months): Lean Management Assistant, BinterTechnic, Spain.
• 2007 – 2012: Head of the Biomass Department, Science and Technology Park of Albacete, Spain.
• 2011 – 2012: Part-time lecturer, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
• 2006 – 2007:Research Fellow, School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds.

• Lean Six Sigma, Green Belt. International Association for Six Sigma Certification. 2015.
• Lean Six Sigma, Black Belt. Ecareers. 2015.
• Leadership and Management, Level 3 Certificate. Institute of Leadership and Management. 2015.
• Certificate in Lean Manufacturing. Instituto Lean Management. Spain. 2014.
• Certificate in Quality Management (ISO 9001:2008). Escuela de Empresa. Spain. 2013.
• Professional Certificate in Teaching in Higher Education. Spanish Agency for Accreditation. 2012.
• PhD cum laude in the University of Castilla-La Mancha, 2006
• MS by Research in Modelling and Analysis Techniques in Engineering, University of Castilla-La Mancha, 2004
• ME in Chemical Engineering, University of Castilla-La Mancha, 2001

- Thermal conversion of waste materials

- Biofuel engines

- Combined heat and power generating systems

- Vehicle-to-grid technologies and Smart Cities

EBRI Professional short course, CPD - Practical Process Engineering. Interdisciplinary understanding of a process plant. 

An integrated knowledge of mechanical, electrical and control aspects is necessary in order to liaise with professionals from different disciplines and be familiar with a broad range of technical documentation in those fields.  This 4-days course combines classes, workshops and live demonstrations in a bioenergy process plant for combined heat and power generation. The attendees can operate, monitore and control a number of subsystems from the control room. Through different practical activities in the plant they will get to know different types of equipment and instrumentation and the way they are integrated.

Day 1. Practical introduction to process plant

Day 2. Mechanical systems

Day 3. Electrical systems

Day 4. Control systems

Other teaching activities

• 2016 – date: Hands-on training activities at Aston University.
• 2015 – 2016: Process laboratory demonstrations in Chemical Engineering (2^ndyear). Aston University.
• 2011 – 2012: Part-time lecturer of Fluid Mechanics at the School of Mining and Engineering of Almaden. Full responsibility: preparing the module, the computing demonstrations, designing and marking exams for 100 undergraduate students.
• 2009 – 2011: Speaker on the subject of biomass resources for Preventop SL, Ekypo SL.
• 2008 – 2011: Co-coordination of the two years Master´s Course in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, at the Renewable Energy Research Institute of Albacete. Teaching and assigning final grades in the subject area of bioenergy.
• 2003 – 2005: Overseeing lab demonstrations on the subjects Thermal Engineering and Combustion Technologies at the School of Mechanical Engineering of Ciudad Real.

Phone number: +44 (0)121 204 4961
Email:  [email protected]