Bioeconomy

The wastewater treatment plant is turned into a vegetable farm, bio-based substances recovered from waste are being utilized to prevent oxidative spoilage in food packaging or provide environmentally-friendly and safe water-repellent coatings on functional textiles. In the EVOBIO project coordinated by Fraunhofer IGB, 19 Fraunhofer Institutes are working on solutions for a sustainable economy.

Overview

What is a bioeconomy?

The bioeconomy, or biobased economy, is a new model for industry and the economy. It involves using renewable biological resources sustainably to produce food, energy and industrial goods. It also exploits the untapped potential stored within millions of tons of biological waste and residual materials.

Overview

Baden-Württemberg and its networks

As the transition from a fossil-based economy to a biobased economy requires fundamental changes, many stakeholders need to work together to achieve this goal. BIOPRO is therefore engaged in close dialogue with research institutions, companies, networks, associations and initiatives. Joint presentations at trade fairs, thematic collaborations, cooperation in concepts and activities result from this dialogue.

Press release - 28/03/2011

Breakthrough: Cells can now be grown on 3D scaffolds

Researchers from the DGF-Centre for Functional Nanostructures at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology have succeeded in growing cells on three-dimensional structures. What is so fascinating about this method is that the cells are able to attach to special micrometre-sized handles on the scaffolds and nowhere else. The method used gives the researchers led by Professor Martin Bastmeyer full control over the formation of cell adhesion sites and…

Article - 15/11/2010

Chemie-Technik GmbH – “A company needs to grow dynamically”

High-performance lubricants are used in a broad range of different industrial applications. Chemie-Technik GmbH supplies numerous industrial sectors around the world with lubricants oils greases and sprays. In the coming years the company plans to focus increasingly on the use of renewable resources for the production of lubricants. The company always places a great deal of importance on producing high-quality products.

Article - 09/02/2009

Bodo Philipp – the discovery of the general principles of bacterial interaction

Dr. Bodo Philipp from the University of Constance specifically focuses on ecologically relevant activities of bacteria for example cell-cell interactions. His findings could prove effective in removing bacteria from areas where high levels of hygiene are required thereby making it possible to prevent life-threatening bacterial infectious diseases. Dr. Bodo Philipp uses the much feared Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria as model organisms for his…

Article - 15/08/2011

Artificial seed germination and premature ageing

Farmers expect sugar-beet seeds to be of the highest quality. Seed producers such as Einbeck-based KWS SAAT AG use complex technologies to ensure that seeds start germinating immediately after sowing even under unfavourable environmental conditions. One of the techniques used by KWS SAAT AG involves a special method of seed preparation to ensure immediate germination. However the disadvantage of this special type of pretreatment is that the seeds…

Article - 25/10/2010

A plant hormone and growth in the dark

All multicellular organisms including plants produce hormones. One of the hormones plants produce is the phytohormone jasmonic acid which has for a long time mainly been known as a second messenger substance that is released when plants are attacked by pathogens. Some years ago Dr. Michael Riemann from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology KIT discovered that jasmonic acid acts as a major growth regulator of phytochrome-mediated responses in…

Article - 06/10/2014

Biobased lubricants with convincing technical properties

The performance and application range of biobased lubricants is growing ever broader. Several biolubricants have been placed on the market, including plant-oil based products and synthetic plant-based lubricants. In this article, Rolf Luther from FUCHS EUROPE SCHMIERSTOFFE GmbH in Mannheim talks about the technical properties and potential application areas of biolubricants, some of which have been shown to be superior to conventional crude…

Article - 12/03/2012

Biological nanopores on chips for determining the properties of molecules

Researchers led by Prof. Dr. Jan C. Behrends and Dr. Gerhard Baaken from the University of Freiburg have developed a chip the size of a fingertip containing biological nanopores that determine molecule mass with great precision. Developing this new system which is a combination of biological and micro-technical components involved a great deal of technical skill. The system has the same level of sensitivity as a chromatography device but is much…

Article - 11/05/2009

Biopolymers to improve drinking water quality

In the long run, biopolymers will find their way into industry and everyday life; they are the polymers of the future. The Institute for Sanitary Engineering, Water Quality and Solid Waste Management at the University of Stuttgart offers applications of biopolymers for the preparation of water as well as a new recycling strategy.

Article - 12/08/2013

Baden-Württemberg – strategies for the future of biodiversity conservation

The alarming decline in animal and plant species stands more chance to be stopped by action on local and regional levels than through global conventions. Research and action programmes by German federal and state governments can help preserve biodiversity in Baden-Württemberg.

The deadline for submitting project proposals for the third round is 15 October 2008.

Article - 11/12/2009

Genome sequencing of grapevines that are resistant to fungi

In cooperation with the company SEQ.IT the Julius Kühn Institute for Grapevine Breeding Geilweilerhof has sequenced the fungus-resistant grapevine variety Regent and has succeeded in obtaining a first grapevine breeding milestone for viticulture. The sequence provides the researchers with insights into the grapevines typical mildew resistances on the molecular level and helps them understand the resistance mechanisms from the analysis of the…

Article - 12/11/2012

Furtwangen University of Applied Sciences appoints new professor of bioprocess engineering

Volker C. Hass joined the Furtwangen University of Applied Sciences at the beginning of the 2012/2013 winter semester. His presence strengthens the university’s team on the bio- and process engineering bachelor’s degree programme. Every year, two thirds of the 100 or so first-semester students choose biotechnology as part of their main studies and around one third choose process engineering.

Article - 13/10/2014

Crude mushroom solution to degrade micropollutants and increase the performance of biofuel cells

Sabine Sané, a doctoral student in the Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK) at the University of Freiburg, has developed a concept that shows how micropollutants can be degraded in wastewater and how the latter can serve as a valuable source of raw materials. She is one of four researchers who have been awarded the 2014 Huber Technology Prize “Future Water” with a purse of 10,000 euros. Her concept is based on an enzyme that is secreted…

Article - 14/11/2011

DFG research group to unravel prokaryotic immune system

It is difficult to believe that unicellular organisms such as archaea and bacteria can have developed sophisticated strategies to fight off foreign nucleic acids. However, many of these tiny organisms actually possess a virus defence mechanism known as CRISPR/Cas. Compared to this defence mechanism, protective mechanisms such as restriction and modification appear extremely clumsy indeed.

Article - 13/02/2012

Emcid Biotech GmbH: mosses as gold mines

Mosses are a great source of molecules that offer protection against microorganisms dehydration and other stress factors but it is a potential that has yet to be fully exploited. Freiburg-based Emcid Biotech GmbH is developing a platform for the identification development and industrial production of natural substances and enzymes of lower plants in particular those of mosses.

Article - 07/04/2009

Hendrik Küpper – at the service of plants and humans

Prof. Hendrik Küpper had his first experience as a scientist in 1992 when together with his brother and a friend he participated in the German governments Jugend forscht contest. The students came first in biology in the national competition and first in both the Young Europeans Environmental Research Contest and the European Community Contest for Young Scientists. Back then Küpper was already interested in the interaction between heavy metals…

Article - 01/09/2016

Tailor-made biotech fibres for improved wound dressings

Scientists have developed a biotechnological process to produce bacterial alginate. The alginate quality is highly reproducible, making it suitable for the production of fibre-based medicinal products such as wound dressings.

Article - 09/11/2009

Keeping an eye on reed decline

The reed zones around Europes lakes are becoming increasingly smaller. The biologist Dr. Jan Nechwatal at the University of Constance is investigating the causes of reed decline and has identified a previously unknown plant pest.

Article - 29/10/2012

Hydrocarbons 3.0 – European Union decides to focus on bioeconomy

Industry is being greened. The EU has put in place schemes to boost the bioeconomy Germany Finland Norway Denmark and the Netherlands are working hard on bioeconomy strategies. Even regional stakeholders are developing concepts aimed at supporting the bioeconomy. Things are moving in the right direction.

Article - 18/03/2013

Insights into life in the eternal ice

Life can also be found in Arctic and Antarctic ice. Anique Stecher a biologist at Konstanz University is investigating the biodiversity in these areas using samples collected on board a research vessel and then analysing the data using special phylogenetic software. This provides her with a comprehensive inventory of Arctic and Antarctic organisms and with insights into their relationships with each other. The researchers findings make an…

Article - 22/09/2014

Heike Frühwirth brings engineering methods into the hype about algae

Heike Frühwirth is not terribly taken by the euphoria surrounding the potential of algae. She knows better as she has become aware of the potential pitfalls from her own personal experience. Frühwirth was born in the Austrian city of Graz where she also studied process engineering. She has been in charge of process engineering under the industrial biotechnology study programme at Biberach University of Applied Sciences since 2012. She specializes…

Article - 12/11/2012

HANDTE Umwelttechnik GmbH – a system provider of energy-efficient exhaust air purification solutions

The purification of exhaust air, a classical technology for end-of-pipe environmental protection, is commonly used in cases when industrial processes result in malodorous exhaust air or air contaminated with hazardous substances. HANDTE Umwelttechnik GmbH started specialising in such solutions way back in 1889.