Press release - 22/07/2020 NanoCELL - Nanocellulose as great hope for environmentally friendly packaging Since the beginning of 2019, the Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering IBMT has been working on a comprehensive characterization and humantoxicological assessment of nanocellulose along its life cycle in the BMBF-funded joint project "NanoCELL" under the coordination of Postnova Analytics GmbH, in order to achieve a reliable risk assessment and safe use in environmentally friendly packaging materials.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/NanoCELL-Nanocellulose-as-great-hope-for-environmentally-friendly-packaging
Qualitative soil fertiliser - 10/07/2020 How natural cycles can be closed with wood ash Recycled material instead of waste: wood ash is good for soil and plants - if the quality is right. The German Federal Quality Association for Food Ash ensures reliable wood ash standards with its certifications. The RAL-Dünger label for fertilisers provides the necessary certification for natural wood ashes to be used in the circular economy.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/how-natural-cycles-can-be-closed-wood-ash
Press release - 01/07/2020 Biowaste management remains untapped potential for the European Union A report recently published by the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) and Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) shows that with only 16% of the biowaste potential being used, the biowaste management still remains an untapped potential for the European Union to further transition to a Circular Economy. Both organizations jointly produced a first-of-its-kind report estimating the current and future availability of bio-waste in the EU27.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/biowaste-management-remains-untapped-potential-european-union
Event - 16/11/2020 - 17/11/2020 Business4Change Hackathon Brussels (Belgium), Workshop https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/events/business4change-hackathon
Press release - 30/06/2020 Study shows benefit of using compostable biowaste bags for quality of compost The Witzenhausen Institute and the University of Bayreuth conducted a very interesting study, analysing the compost of several German industrial composting facilities for possible plastic content deriving from compostable biowaste bags. The field study concluded that compostable bags, certified according to the European standard EN 13432, do not pose any challenges to the quality of the compost.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/study-shows-benefit-using-compostable-biowaste-bags-quality-compost
rezemo GmbH - 26/06/2020 Coffee capsules: wood instead of aluminium In Germany alone, around three billion disposable coffee capsules made of aluminium and plastic are sold every year. This creates a gigantic waste problem, as only a small proportion of the capsules can be recycled. Fully compostable wooden coffee capsules might be a solution to this problem. The capsules have been developed by a start-up company called rezemo, which also has other biobased packaging solutions in the pipeline.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/coffee-capsules-wood-instead-aluminium
Perspectives of methane as energy source - 18/06/2020 New technologies for using biogas as a balancing energy The microorganisms in biogas plants do a great job biologically converting CO₂ and hydrogen, which are primary fermentation products, into methane. Biomethane has a great future as an energy source. Scientists at the University of Hohenheim are investigating new ways to produce and use biomethane.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/new-technologies-for-using-biogas-as-balancing-energy
Degradable biopolymers - 29/05/2020 Bioplastics make wood cycles more sustainable Innovative technologies and bacteria can transform wood residues into sustainable bioplastic packaging. Before bioplastics are broken down into CO2 and water in an environmentally friendly way, they can thus lead lives as products in the cosmetics industry, for example.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/bioplastics-make-wood-cycles-more-sustainable
Press release - 26/05/2020 Using AI to Save Water in Agriculture Drought and weather fluctuations threaten agriculture in Germany often in spring already. An increasing number of farmers is forced to irrigate fields artificially. Water resources, however, are limited. Precise information on the state of plants and soils helps farmers take effective measures against damage caused by drought and to enhance irrigation efficiency. https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/mit-ki-der-landwirtschaft-wasser-sparen
The “Rhizo-Lentil" EIP-AGRI project - 20/05/2020 NovoCarbo turns plant waste into biochar NovoCarbo GmbH produces biochar from plant residues such as wood chips, nutshells and manure. Different feedstocks, and the way these materials are processed, create biochars with different properties. This makes biochar suitable for different uses, including as a soil conditioner, in biogas plants or as bedding for stables and cowsheds. The Rhizo-Linse project is currently investigating whether biochar is also suitable as inoculant carrier for…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/novocarbo-turns-plant-waste-into-biochar
Press release - 18/05/2020 Biofuel for ships The combustion of conventional fossil fuels accounts for a large share of global CO2 emissions. A great deal of criticism is levelled against cruise and merchant ships for polluting the environment with sooty waste gas and toxic heavy fuels. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT in Oberhausen have been looking into alternative climate-friendly fuels.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/biosprit-fuer-den-schiffstank
Press release - 14/05/2020 Sustainable Production: New Research Focus of KIT Global population is increasing, crucial resources become scarcer. Producing enterprises today have to take the right steps for a sustainable future. On their behalf, scientists of KIT study how the production process may be improved by autonomous production control, reduction of wear parts, or principles of resource-efficient production. Their know-how is presently being pooled in the new research focus “Sustainable Production.”https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/nachhaltige-produktion-neuer-forschungsschwerpunkt-am-kit
Press release - 13/05/2020 Microbial Cyborgs: Bacteria Supplying Power Electronic devices are still made of lifeless materials. One day, however, “microbial cyborgs” might be used in fuel cells, biosensors, or bioreactors. Scientists of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have created the necessary prerequisite by developing a programmable, biohybrid system consisting of a nanocomposite and the Shewanella oneidensis bacterium that produces electrons. https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/mikrobielle-cyborgs-bakterien-als-stromlieferanten
Event - 19/11/2020 - 20/11/2020 3rd Global Bioeconomy Summit Online eventhttps://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/events/3rd-global-bioeconomy-summit
Press release - 07/05/2020 Photosynthesis in a droplet For hundreds of millions of years plants have had the ability to harness carbon dioxide from the air using solar energy. The Max Planck research network MaxSynBio is on the trail of building artificial cells as sustainable green bioreactors. The research team led by Tobias Erb from the Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology in Marburg has now succeeded in developing a platform for the automated construction of cell-sized photosynthesis modules.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/fotosynthese-im-tropfen-forschende-entwickeln-einen-kuenstlichen-chloroplasten
Dossier - 28/04/2020 Sustainable bioenergy Biomass from forestry and agriculture along with residues from industry and households can contribute to our energy and raw material shift. Sustainable, regenerative biomass-based energy can become part of the energy mix of the future within the framework of a bioeconomy.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/Sustainable-bioenergy
Urban agriculture - 23/04/2020 alphabeet – the green-fingered smartphone Given the challenges faced by modern agriculture, it is vital to raise people’s awareness of how to change their approach to food. The founders of the Stuttgart-based start-up company farmee GmbH see urban agriculture as the key to making this change possible. The company has developed “alphabeet”, an app designed to encourage consumers to produce their own food. After all, only those combining knowledge and practical experience can be expected…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/alphabeet-the-green-fingered-smartphone
Event - 03/06/2020 - 05/06/2020 Dresden Nexus Conference (DNC) onlinehttps://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/events/dresden-nexus-conference-dnc
Biosensors - 09/04/2020 Sensors for the bioeconomy Sensor networks are one of the keys to achieving digitalisation of the bioeconomy. Sensor networks are on the way to becoming important analysis and control instruments for energy-efficient and sustainable material cycles. Dieter Hertweck, Professor of Business Information Systems at Reutlingen University of Applied Sciences, shows what is already possible in digital agriculture and waste recycling and what is feasible for the future.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/Sensors-for-the-bioeconomy
Conference - 30/11/2020 - 03/12/2020 European Bioplastics Conference - Call for Papers Online eventhttps://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/events/european-bioplastics-conference-call-papers
Press release - 19/03/2020 New Circular Economy Action Plan: no circular economy without bioeconomy "European Bioplastics (EUBP) welcomes the new Circular Economy Action Plan (nCEAP). It’s an ambitious step forward to transform Europe into a circular economy”, says François de Bie, Chairman of European Bioplastics. “As EUBP, we especially endorse the European Commission’s (EC) commitment to support the ‘sustainable and circular bio-based sector through the implementation of the Bioeconomy Action Plan’”https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/neuer-aktionsplan-fuer-die-kreislaufwirtschaft-keine-kreislaufwirtschaft-ohne-biooekonomie
The “Rhizo-Lentil" EIP-AGRI project - 03/03/2020 University of Hohenheim wants to improve the conditions for lentil cultivation Lentils were once considered poor man’s food, but in Germany demand for them has never been greater. And to satisfy this growing demand, more lentils need to be cultivated. This is why the University of Hohenheim is involved in the EIP-AGRI "Rhizo-Linse" project. The aim of the project is to find rhizobia strains that go well with lentil plants to increase yield and improve quality.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/University-of-Hohenheim-wants-to-improve-the-conditions-for-lentil-cultivation
Event - 23/07/2020 - 24/07/2020 Start-up BW Summit 2020 *The event is postponed* Stuttgart, Summit https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/events/start-bw-summit
Wood energy – heating with wood – interview with Stefan Pelz, HFR - 10/02/2020 Wood: a cornerstone in energy transition While a good third of the electricity in Germany now comes from renewable energy sources, the production and supply of heat from renewables has stagnated at around 11.5 percent. Energy from biomass, mainly wood and biogas, accounts for over 80 percent of the renewable energy produced. Bioenergy municipalities show how locally available, renewable raw materials and solar power can be intelligently combined for supplying energy.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/Wood-a-cornerstone-in-energy-transition
New perspectives for bioenergy - 10/02/2020 Biogas as a component of the energy transition Dr. Andreas Lemmer has been involved in the generation of energy from biomass for over 20 years. His employer, the State Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioenergy, runs the biogas pilot facility at Unterer Lindenhof near Reutlingen. Scientists here work under practical conditions testing new techniques.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/Biogas-as-a-component-of-the-energy-transition