Dr Fanran Meng

School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering

Senior Lecturer in Sustainable Chemical Engineering

USIC Tutor

Level 4 (undergraduate) Director

f.meng@sheffield.ac.uk

G18, Sir Robert Hadfield Building

Full contact details

Dr Fanran Meng
School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering
G18
Sir Robert Hadfield Building
Mappin Street
Sheffield
S1 3JD

Profile

I am a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Sustainable Chemical Engineering at the University of Sheffield, where I lead the Whole Systems Modelling Lab. My research sits at the interface of materials, manufacturing and sustainability, with a focus on decarbonising complex material, chemical, energy and transport systems. I develop whole-system approaches that integrate life cycle assessment (LCA), techno-economic analysis (TEA), material flow analysis (MFA), and process and systems modelling, including optimisation, to generate robust evidence for industry, policy and sustainable technology development.

I completed a BEng (Hons) in Materials Science and Engineering at Central South University in 2013 and a PhD in Materials Engineering and Materials Design at the University of Nottingham in 2017. I then held research positions at the Universities of Nottingham and Cambridge, including a Sustainability Fellowship at Churchill College, before joining the University of Sheffield in 2023 as a Lecturer. I am now a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor).

At Sheffield, my group develops open, transparent and reproducible models to quantify emissions, resource use, and circularity across complex supply chains. My work spans plastics and chemicals, composites, renewable-energy infrastructure including wind systems, and electric-vehicle batteries, to accelerate the transition to net zero and the circular economy. My research has been recognised through awards, including the Royal Society of Chemistry 2025 Environment, Sustainability & Energy Early Career Prize, the 2026 ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering Lectureship Award, the 2026 IChemE Warner Medal and the Landor Links Decarbonising Transport Award 2026.

Research interests

My research focuses on systems engineering for sustainable materials and energy systems, with particular interest in how technology choices, supply chains, and policy interact to shape environmental and economic outcomes. Core themes include:

Low-carbon materials and manufacturing systems
Whole-system modelling to identify practical pathways for reducing emissions while maintaining performance, cost-effectiveness and resilience.
Plastics, chemicals and circularity
Assessment of substitution, recycling, and end-of-life strategies, including trade-offs, uncertainty and systems-level impacts.
Composites and recycling / reuse
Technical, environmental and economic evaluation of carbon fibre composite recycling routes, reuse opportunities and circular design strategies.
Renewable energy infrastructure
Material flow and life cycle modelling of wind and solar technologies, including end-of-life management, resource recovery, and circularity.
EV batteries and critical materials
Supply-chain MFA, LCA, TEA and scenario analysis across geography, time and technology to support sustainable electrification.

Current projects and collaborations
I work with academic, industrial and policy partners on projects related to:

life cycle and techno-economic decision tools for low-carbon innovation
plastics and chemicals decarbonisation and circularity strategies
sustainable supply chains for EV batteries and critical materials
end-of-life management and circularity of renewable-energy infrastructure
whole-system assessment to support industrial decarbonisation and policy development

Publications

Journal articles

Qiao Y, Guo Y, Rowan S, Medina R, Espinet X, Cullen J, Meng F & Cao Z (2026) Doubling of flood-induced bridge asset failure loss in Mozambique under 2050 climate. Global Environmental Change, 96, 103103-103103.
Meng F, Hawkin JL, Gast L, Job S, O Brádaigh C, Cullen JM, Leeke GA, McKechnie J, Poulsen AK, Rothman R , Ryan A et al (2025) End of life management for wind turbines. Nature Reviews Clean Technology. View this article in WRRO
Mai L, Liu M, Hao H, Sun X, Meng F, Geng Y, Wadud Z, Tate JE, Dong Z, Li H , Geng J et al (2025) A high-resolution dataset on electric passenger vehicle characteristics in China and the European Union. Scientific Data, 12(1). View this article in WRRO
Qiao Y, Zhu L, Cao H, Liu Z, Wang G & Meng F (2025) Sankey diagram mapping of greenhouse gas emissions in road infrastructure projects: A cradle-to-laid perspective. Sustainable Cities and Society, 130, 106614-106614.
Li X, Meng F, Dunbar A, Zhang L, Hao Y, He T, Yang N, Mao J, Meng F & Liu G (2025) Reducing the environmental impact of large-scale photovoltaic systems through technological progress and effective management. RSC Sustainability, 3(5), 2286-2300. View this article in WRRO
Chen W, Wang P, Meng F, Pehlken A, Wang Q-C & Chen W-Q (2025) Reshaping heavy rare earth supply chains amidst China's stringent environmental regulations. Fundamental Research, 5(2), 505-513.
Huo D, Davies B, Li J, Alzaghrini N, Sun X, Meng F, Abdul-Manan AFN, McKechnie J, Posen ID & MacLean HL (2024) How do we decarbonize one billion vehicles by 2050? Insights from a comparative life cycle assessment of electrifying light-duty vehicle fleets in the United States, China, and the United Kingdom. Energy Policy, 195, 114390-114390.
Davies B, Llamas-Orozco JA, Meng F, Posen ID, MacLean HL, Abdul-Manan AFN & McKechnie J (2024) Future material demand and greenhouse gas emissions implications for electrification of the UK light-duty vehicle fleet. RSC Sustainability, 2(8), 2275-2288. View this article in WRRO
Cullen L, Meng F, Lupton R & Cullen JM (2024) Reducing uncertainties in greenhouse gas emissions from chemical production. Nature Chemical Engineering, 1(4), 311-322. View this article in WRRO
Gast L, Meng F & Morgan D (2024) Assessing the circularity of onshore wind turbines: Using material flow analysis for improving end-of-life resource management. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 204. View this article in WRRO
Meng F, Brandão M & Cullen JM (2024) Replacing plastics with alternatives Is worse for greenhouse gas emissions in most cases. Environmental Science & Technology, 58(6), 2716-2727. View this article in WRRO
Bowler AL, Rodgers S, Meng F, McKechnie J, Cook DJ & Watson NJ (2024) Development of an open-source carbon footprint calculator of the UK craft brewing value chain. Journal of Cleaner Production, 435, 140181-140181.
Rodgers S, Bowler A, Wells L, Lee CS, Hayes M, Poulston S, Lester E, Meng F, McKechnie J & Conradie A (2024) A surrogate model for the economic evaluation of renewable hydrogen production from biomass feedstocks via supercritical water gasification. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 49, 277-294.
Yang J, Meng F, Zhang L, McKechnie J, Chang Y, Ma B, Hao Y, Li X, Pender K, Yang L , Leeke GA et al (2023) Solutions for recycling emerging wind turbine blade waste in China are not yet effective. Communications Earth & Environment, 4(1). View this article in WRRO
Llamas-Orozco JA, Meng F, Walker GS, Abdul-Manan AFN, MacLean HL, Posen ID & McKechnie J (2023) Estimating the environmental impacts of global lithium-ion battery supply chain: A temporal, geographical, and technological perspective. PNAS Nexus, 2(11). View this article in WRRO
Song L, van Ewijk S, Masanet E, Watari T, Meng F, Cullen JM, Cao Z & Chen W-Q (2023) Author Correction: China’s bulk material loops can be closed but deep decarbonization requires demand reduction. Nature Climate Change, 13(11), 1272-1272.
Song L, van Ewijk S, Masanet E, Watari T, Meng F, Cullen JM, Cao Z & Chen W-Q (2023) China’s bulk material loops can be closed but deep decarbonization requires demand reduction. Nature Climate Change, 13(10), 1136-1143.
Rodgers S, Bowler A, Meng F, Poulston S, McKechnie J & Conradie A (2023) Probabilistic commodity price projections for unbiased techno-economic analyses. Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, 122, 106065-106065.
Huang X, Bao L, Bao R, Liu L, Tao J, Wang J, Zhang Z, Ge Z, Tan S, Yi J & Meng F (2023) Reinforced copper matrix composites with highly dispersed nano size TiC in-situ generated from the Carbon Polymer Dots. Advanced Powder Materials, 2(2), 100090-100090.
Meng F, Wagner A, Kremer AB, Kanazawa D, Leung JJ, Goult P, Guan M, Herrmann S, Speelman E, Sauter P , Lingeswaran S et al (2023) Planet-compatible pathways for transitioning the chemical industry. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(8). View this article in WRRO
Xiao C, Zhou J, Meng F, Cullen J, Wang X & Zhu Y (2023) Regional characteristics and spatial correlation of haze pollution: Interpretative system analysis in cities of Fenwei Plain in China. Science of The Total Environment, 869, 161779-161779.
Qiao Y, Wang Z, Meng F, Parry T, Cullen J & Liu S (2022) Evaluating the economic and environmental impacts of road pavement using an integrated local sensitivity model. Journal of Cleaner Production, 371, 133615-133615.
Rodgers S, Meng F, Poulston S, Conradie A & McKechnie J (2022) Renewable butadiene: A case for hybrid processing via bio- and chemo-catalysis. Journal of Cleaner Production, 364, 132614-132614.
Liu P, Meng F & Barlow CY (2022) Wind turbine blade end-of-life options: An economic comparison. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 180, 106202-106202.
Upadhyayula VKK, Gadhamshetty V, Athanassiadis D, Tysklind M, Meng F, Pan Q, Cullen JM & Yacout DMM (2022) Wind Turbine Blades Using Recycled Carbon Fibers: An Environmental Assessment. Environmental Science & Technology, 56(2), 1267-1277.
Meng F, Dornau A, Mcqueen Mason SJ, Thomas GH, Conradie A & McKechnie J (2021) Bioethanol from autoclaved municipal solid waste: Assessment of environmental and financial viability under policy contexts. Applied Energy, 298, 117118-117118.
Heng H, Meng F & McKechnie J (2021) Wind turbine blade wastes and the environmental impacts in Canada. Waste Management, 133, 59-70.
Rodgers S, Conradie A, King R, Poulston S, Hayes M, Bommareddy RR, Meng F & McKechnie J (2021) Reconciling the Sustainable Manufacturing of Commodity Chemicals with Feasible Technoeconomic Outcomes. Johnson Matthey Technology Review, 65(3), 375-394.
Ibbett R, Tucker G, McKechnie J & Meng F (2020) Enzyme digestion of biofiber from mechanical heat treated municipal solid waste: Accessing kinetic and rheological design data using a pilot-scale high-solids mixer. Biomass and Bioenergy, 143, 105817-105817.
Sun X, Luo X, Zhang Z, Meng F & Yang J (2020) Life cycle assessment of lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide (NCM) batteries for electric passenger vehicles. Journal of Cleaner Production, 273, 123006-123006.
Meng F, Cui Y, Pickering S & McKechnie J (2020) From aviation to aviation: Environmental and financial viability of closed-loop recycling of carbon fibre composite. Composites Part B: Engineering, 200, 108362-108362.
Cui Y, Zhu J, Meng F, Zoras S, McKechnie J & Chu J (2020) Energy assessment and economic sensitivity analysis of a grid-connected photovoltaic system. Renewable Energy, 150, 101-115.
Meng F & McKechnie J (2019) Challenges in Quantifying Greenhouse Gas Impacts of Waste-Based Biofuels in EU and US Biofuel Policies: Case Study of Butanol and Ethanol Production from Municipal Solid Waste. Environmental Science & Technology, 53(20), 12141-12149.
Sun X, Meng F, Liu J, McKechnie J & Yang J (2019) Life cycle energy use and greenhouse gas emission of lightweight vehicle – A body-in-white design. Journal of Cleaner Production, 220, 1-8.
Meng F, Ibbett R, de Vrije T, Metcalf P, Tucker G & McKechnie J (2019) Process simulation and life cycle assessment of converting autoclaved municipal solid waste into butanol and ethanol as transport fuels. Waste Management, 89, 177-189.
Liu P, Meng F & Barlow CY (2019) Wind turbine blade end-of-life options: An eco-audit comparison. Journal of Cleaner Production, 212, 1268-1281.
Cui Y, Zhu J & Meng F (2018) Techno-economic evaluation of multiple energy piles for a ground-coupled heat pump system. Energy Conversion and Management, 178, 200-216.
Meng F, Olivetti EA, Zhao Y, Chang JC, Pickering SJ & McKechnie J (2018) Comparing Life Cycle Energy and Global Warming Potential of Carbon Fiber Composite Recycling Technologies and Waste Management Options. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 6(8), 9854-9865.
Meng F, McKechnie J & Pickering SJ (2018) An assessment of financial viability of recycled carbon fibre in automotive applications. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, 109, 207-220.
Meng F, McKechnie J, Turner T, Wong KH & Pickering SJ (2017) Environmental Aspects of Use of Recycled Carbon Fiber Composites in Automotive Applications. Environmental Science & Technology, 51(21), 12727-12736.
Meng F, McKechnie J, Turner TA & Pickering SJ (2017) Energy and environmental assessment and reuse of fluidised bed recycled carbon fibres. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, 100, 206-214.
Liu F, Li H, Gao Z, Song Q, Cullen PJ, Nie Z, Hong Y, Zhang Y, Yao S, Gu C , Meng F et al () Steering charge transfer in CuInS2/BiOCl composites to enable sunlight-driven C–F bond cleavage of PFAS in water. Nature Water.
Lian JZ, Liu T, Yang J, Zhu H, Chalermchotiwong N, Grain Y, Yue L, Luo X, Cucurachi S, Li J , Meng F et al () Sustainable extraction of bioactive compounds: a life cycle perspective on technologies, solvents, and process scale-up. RSC Sustainability.
Xiao C, Zhou J, Shen X, Cullen J, Dobson S, Meng F & Wang X () Rural Living Environment Governance: A Survey and Comparison between Two Villages in Henan Province of China. Sustainability, 14(21), 14136-14136.
Zaky AS, Carter CE, Meng F & French CE () A Preliminary Life Cycle Analysis of Bioethanol Production Using Seawater in a Coastal Biorefinery Setting. Processes, 9(8), 1399-1399.

Conference proceedings

Meng F, McKechnie J & Pickering SJ (2017) Towards a circular economy for end-of-life carbon fibre composite materials via fluidised bed process. Iccm International Conferences on Composite Materials, Vol. 2017-August
Pickering SJ, Turner TA, Meng F, Morris CN, Heil JP, Wong KH & Melendi S (2015) Developments in the fluidised bed process for fibre recovery from thermoset composites. Camx 2015 Composites and Advanced Materials Expo (pp 2384-2394)

Preprints

Meng F, Wagner A, B. Kremer A, Kanazawa D, J. Leung J, Goult P, Guan M, Herrmann S, Speelman E, Sauter P , Lingeswaran S et al (2022) Planet compatible pathways for transitioning the chemical industry, American Chemical Society (ACS).
Meng F, Wagner A, B. Kremer A, Kanazawa D, J. Leung J, Goult P, Guan M, Herrmann S, Speelman E, Sauter P , Lingeswaran S et al (2022) Planet compatible pathways for transitioning the chemical industry, American Chemical Society (ACS).

Teaching activities

I contribute to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in sustainable chemical engineering, life cycle thinking and life cycle assessment, and materials sustainability, including modules such as:

CPE180 Heat Transfer
CMB4124/CMB4132 Energy Systems and Management
CMB104 (MAT1920) Sustainability and the Materials Lifecycle

I also serve as a USIC Tutor and Level 4 (Undergraduate) Director.

Professional activities and memberships

Co-Editor-in-Chief: Cleaner Production Letters
Associate Editor: Journal of Cleaner Production
Editor: Resources, Conservation & Recycling Advances
Associate Editor: Cleaner Engineering and Technology
Editorial Board Member: Environmental Nexus, Communications Sustainability
Advisory Board Member: Chem Circularity
Fellow: Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
Member: Henry Royce Institute EDI Committee, BPF Sustainability Committee
Member: IOM3, Royal Society of Chemistry, ISIE, IChemE
Member: EPSRC Early Career Forum in Sustainable Manufacturing and Mobility