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 systems engineer working at the interface of materials, manufacturing, and sustainability, with a focus on decarbonising material and energy systems. My research integrates life cycle assessment (LCA), techno-economic analysis (TEA), material flow analysis (MFA) and process/systems modelling (including optimisation) to produce decision-ready evidence for industry and policy.

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

At Sheffield, I lead the Whole Systems Modelling Lab, developing open and reproducible methods to quantify emissions and resource use across complex supply chains. My work spans plastics and chemicals, composites and recycling, renewable-energy infrastructure (including wind), and electric-vehicle batteries, with the aim of accelerating net-zero and circular-economy transitions.

Research interests

My research focuses on systems engineering applied to materials and energy systems: understanding how technology choices, supply chains, and policy interact to assess and reduce real-world environmental and economic impacts. Core themes:

Low-carbon materials and manufacturing systems
Whole-system modelling to identify practical pathways to reduce emissions while maintaining performance, cost, and resilience.
Plastics, chemicals, and circularity
Evidence-based assessment of substitution, recycling, and end-of-life strategies, including trade-offs and uncertainty.
Composites and recycling / reuse
Environmental and economic evaluation of carbon-fibre composite recycling routes and circular design strategies.
Renewable-energy infrastructure
Material flow and life-cycle modelling of wind and solar technologies, including end-of-life management and circularity.
EV batteries and critical materials
Supply-chain 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
EV battery supply chains and material criticality trade-offs
end-of-life management and circularity of renewable-energy infrastructure

Publications

Journal articles

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.
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 education in sustainable chemical engineering and systems thinking, including modules such as:

CPE180 Heat Transfer
CPE465/CPE61012 Energy Systems and Management
CMB104 (MAT1920) Sustainability and the Materials Lifecycle

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

Professional activities and memberships

Associate Editor: Journal of Cleaner Production; Cleaner Engineering and Technology
Editor: Resources, Conservation & Recycling Advances
Fellow: Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
Member: IOM3, Royal Society of Chemistry, ISIE, SAMPE, SETAC
Member: EPSRC ECR Forum (Manufacturing and the Circular Economy)