David Agar

• Head of Biomass Technology and Chemistry division (BTK)
• Bio4Energy participant (P1) & Treesearch associated member
• Wood Biomaterial Science subject coordinator for undergraduate education

Life after Deck? – The cascading potential of thermally modified wood

Thermally modified wood (TMW) building products are increasingly utilised in modern buildings. TMW is chemical-free pyrolysis product and this simplifies its recycling and reuse. This Bio4Energy-funded project generates new knowledge on TMW wastes and by-products including detailed physical-chemical characterisation and conversion potential in the bioeconomy. 

The Biocarbon Future – A Holistic Approach to New Sustainable Value Chains

This Swedish Energy Agency project (2024-2029) centres on the development of large-scale production of biocarbon to meet future challenges, in particular for use in industry. The aim of the project is, from a systems perspective, to increase knowledge about sourcing feedstock from various residual streams and expanding sustainable biocarbon production in Sweden. 

ProWater - By-products as secondary resources in wastewater treatment

An Interreg Aurora project (2024-2027) that aims to utilise industrial by-products to produce greener absorbents for wastewater treatment. We investigate the production of carbon-based adsorbents from recycled wastes using pyrolysis and activation processes. A major focus is on minimising the environmental impact of adsorbent production itself while maximising effectiveness in water treatments.

• Forestry and Sustainable Development (PFG0072) PhD course (4 ECTS)
• Skogens biomaterial (SV0010) undergraduate course (7.5 ECTS)
• Raw Material Properties and Refining Processes (SV0047) MSc course (15 ECTS)

• Associate Professor, Docent (2021), Forest Sciences Faculty, SLU, Sweden
• PhD, Inorganic Chemistry (2016), Åbo Akademi, Finland
• MSc, Applied Physics (2004), University of Jyväskylä, Finland
• Master Class in Theoretical Physics (2002),  NORDITA, Denmark

2025-2029, PhD main supervisor, Syeda Mahnoor Ali, The Biocarbon Future - A holistic approach to new sustainable value chains. Forest Biomaterials and Technology, SLU.

2019-2023, PhD main supervisor, Atanu Kumar Das, Multi-blade size reduction of wood for industrial processes and its influence on the forest-to-industry supply chain. Forest Biomaterials and Technology, SLU.

2019-2024, PhD co-supervisor, Calle Niemi, Biochemical and spectral characterisation of micro and macroalgae. Forest Biomaterials and Technology, SLU.

09/2025, PhD examination committee member, Natxo Garcia-López, Toward cleaner cooking and energy security in rural sub-Saharan Africa. Department of Physics and Electronics, Umeå University.

04/2025, PhD examination committee member, Katarzyna Olovsson, Thermochemical properties and quality measures of limestone and quicklime. Department of Physics and Electronics, Umeå University.

04/2025, Licentiate examination committee member, Aleksandra Holmlund, Voluntary biodiversity credits: Emerging concepts in managed forests. Department of Forest Ecology and Management, SLU.

10/2024, PhD examination committee member, Chaojun Tang, Investigations of the importance of the redox environment in LPMO-supported bioconversion of pretreated lignocellulose. Department of Chemistry, Umeå University.

05/2024, PhD examination committee member, Workson Siwale, Mitigating Off-Gassing and Self-Heating in Fuel Wood Pellets Storage. Karlstad University.

11/2023, PhD examination committee member, Pierre Oesterle, Exploring the fate of emerging contaminants during hydrothermal regeneration of carbonaceous adsorbents. Department of Chemistry, Umeå University.

09/2023, PhD examination committee member, Norafiqah Ismail, Sustainable membrane fabrication using greener solvents. Department of Chemistry, Umeå University.

10/2022, Licentiate thesis pre-examiner, Workson Siwale, Understanding the influence of wood extractives on off-gassing during storage of wood pellets. Karlstad University.

09/2021, PhD thesis pre-examiner, Jarno Föhr, Raw material supply and its influence on profitability and life-cycle assessment of torrefied pellet production in Finland – Experiences from pilot-scale production. Lappeenranta University of Technology.