Press release - 15/05/2019 Farmers and end users now benefit from a new database of industrial crops growing on marginal land! The European Union's Horizon 2020 project MAGIC has reached a milestone by uploading a beta version of its Decision Support System for farmers and end users, showing marginal land and an overview of industrial crops suitable to be grown on this land.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/farmers-and-end-users-now-benefit-from-a-new-database-of-industrial-crops-growing-on-marginal-land
Article - 08/05/2019 Environmentally friendly alternative to fossil natural gas: methane from biomass In cooperation with the research unit of the German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water (DVGW), KIT researchers have built a pilot plant in which biogas produced by fermenting residual organic materials can be upgraded to synthetic methane (synthetic SNG). Biobased methane is not only a sustainable energy source for the heating and transport sectors, but also opens up new opportunities for temporary storage of renewable…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/environmentally-friendly-alternative-to-fossil-natural-gas-methane-from-biomass
Dossier - 15/04/2019 The alternative: “bioplastics” Plastic waste takes years to decompose and pollutes the environment. Nevertheless, plastics are an indispensable part of everyday life. It is therefore all the more important to find a meaningful alternative that is sustainable, environmentally friendly and has better properties and more functionality than conventional plastics. In addition, such an alternative should not be dependent in any way on fossil resources.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/dossiers/the-alternative-bioplastics
Article - 27/03/2019 Residues from biogas plants as feed for algae Algae are frugal organisms. They require only light, water, minerals and carbon dioxide to be able to produce biomass. These properties will now be exploited economically in a two-year research project. Dr. Stefan Sebök from the University of Hamburg plans to study the holistic utilisation of degradation products of a biogas plant in Wallerstädten by linking them to land-based algae cultivation.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/residues-from-biogas-plants-as-feed-for-algae
Article - 06/12/2018 Celeriac and electricity: dual-use system on arable land Food or fuel? Potatoes or electricity? In addition to growing energy crops for biofuel and biogas production, open space solar plants also compete with food production when it comes to land use. Agrophotovoltaics (APV), i.e. the dual use of arable land, can mitigate the conflicting interests of agriculture and open space PV systems. APV-RESOLA is a pilot project aimed at investigating the efficiency of this dual use.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/celeriac-and-electricity-dual-use-system-on-arable-land
Press release - 21/11/2018 “European Bioeconomy University”: Six Universities Form International Alliance with Focus on Bioeconomy Europe’s leading universities in the field of the bioeconomy are looking to further intensify their existing cooperation to develop common problem-solving approaches for society’s most urgent challenges.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/european-bioeconomy-university-six-universities-form-international-alliance-with-focus-on-bioeconomy
Plant breeding - 19/11/2018 Tobacco for health Plants can be used as biofactories to produce valuable active ingredients such as proteins, antibodies, dyes or vaccines. A project called Newcotiana aims to re-position the existent tobacco industry infrastructure. The project partners, including Prof. Dr. Holger Puchta from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, use modern breeding methods to develop tobacco varieties with new capabilities.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/tobacco-for-health
Article - 29/10/2018 The International Biogas and Bioenergy Competence Centre (IBBK) and its role in Baden-Württemberg’s bioeconomy The number of biogas plants in Germany has increased almost tenfold since the start of the new millennium1. IBBK Fachgruppe Biogas GmbH, founded in 2000, has helped shape this development through training, consulting services and projects. Since 2015, the company has also been working on behalf of the Baden-Württemberg government to advise operators of existing and planned biogas facilities. https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/the-international-biogas-and-bioenergy-competence-centre-ibbk-and-its-role-in-baden-wuerttembergs-bioeconomy
Article - 23/10/2018 SteamBio – biomass residuals from rural areas as flexible raw materials for producing chemicals and energy Biomass is the main resource of the bioeconomy. However, biomass has a low energy density and also needs to be used decentrally where it grows. A project group involving researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB in Stuttgart and other institutions in Europe is addressing these challenges and demonstrating how biomass from rural areas can be made suitable for industrial processes.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/steambio-biomass-residuals-from-rural-areas-as-flexible-raw-materials-for-producing-chemicals-and-energy
Press release - 13/09/2018 Bioplastic materials’ value propositions well reflected in European Parliament’s report on Plastics Strategy The European Parliament’s report on the European Strategy for Plastics adopted today by the plenary testifies to the increasing acknowledgement and endorsement of the value propositions of bioplastics. Rapporteur Mark Demesmaeker highlights the potential role of bio-based plastics and of biodegradable plastics in establishing a strong circular EU bioeconomy.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/bioplastic-materials-value-propositions-well-reflected-in-european-parliaments-report-on-plastics-strategy
Overview Processes and technologies in the bioeconomy The state of Baden-Württemberg is characterised by strong economic expertise in the field of plant and mechanical engineering as well as excellent research institutions in the fields of biology, biotechnology, bioprocess engineering and chemistry. These form an excellent basis for a sustainable economy by promoting technology development and innovation for tomorrow’s bioeconomy.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/bw/definition/processes-and-technologies-in-the-bioeconomy
Overview Bioeconomy products The aim of the bioeconomy is to move industry’s raw material base towards a greater use of biogenic raw materials or to increasingly use bioinspired processes and bring to the forefront issues such as climate protection and sustainability. The bioeconomy therefore creates new opportunities for services, technologies and products. Bioeconomy products already exist, especially as far as chemicals and materials are concerned.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/bw/definition/bioeconomy-products
Company profile - 15/08/2018 Goldmine “biomass” – carbonauts convert biomass into high-value platform products Biomass can be carbonised and converted into certified carbon using a technology called “carbotwin”, which enables simultaneous production of energy. The carbon is thus stored in the end products and does not enter the atmosphere as CO2. Carbonauten, a start-up company from the Baden-Württemberg town of Giengen, shows that the process is not only environmentally friendly, but also economically viable.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/goldmine-biomass-carbonauts-convert-biomass-into-high-value-platform-products
Press release - 30/07/2018 Driving on bark, building with nutshells Over the next four years the European UNRAVEL project will demonstrate a sustainable and economically feasible biorefinery for the conversion of second generation biomass into fuels, chemicals and building materials. In their efforts the partnership from six European countries are supported by the Bio Based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU) which funds the UNRAVEL project with 3.6 million Euros.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/driving-on-bark-building-with-nutshells
Press release - 26/07/2018 Power-to-X technologies and renewables Storage solutions will be very much in demand as renewables account for a growing share of electricity in the grid. One option – converting fluctuating green electricity into chemical energy carriers or raw materials – looks particularly promising. Scientists at the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) want to put power-to-X processes into action with a two-pronged strategy.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/power-to-x-technologies-and-renewables
Press release - 19/07/2018 Fraunhofer CBP supplies lignin for biobased materials Using ultrapure lignin from the lignocellulosic biorefinery at the Fraunhofer Center for Chemical-Biotechnological Processes CBP in Leuna, researchers at the Technical University of Hamburg-Harburg (TU HH) have produced lignin-containing aerogels and processed high-porosity insulating boards with excellent insulation properties. The lignin was recovered from beech residual wood at the Fraunhofer CBP using the Organosolv process.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/fraunhofer-cbp-supplies-lignin-for-biobased-materials
Bioplastics - 03/05/2018 LIGNOSIT - using lignin in value-added products The environmental footprint of petroleum-based plastic products does not look good. Alternatives for plastic production involving renewable raw materials are now being sought. Wood is experiencing a renaissance. Prof. Dr. Marie-Pierre Laborie, who holds the Chair of Forest Biomaterials at the University of Freiburg, and her team are researching the potential use of lignin, the natural glue in wood.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/lignosit-using-lignin-in-value-added-products
Guest contribution - 24/04/2018 Back to the future? From wood to coal to a sustainable bioeconomy The historic transition from wood to hard coal was successfully made in the 19th century. We are now on our way to a sustainable bioeconomy. Research carried out by the Faculty of the Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Freiburg reveals what history can teach us about the transition to a more sustainable, biobased economy.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/back-to-the-future-from-wood-to-coal-to-a-sustainable-bioeconomy
Article - 13/02/2018 Pleasant aromas from biogas Butyric acid is an important source of fruity aromas. It accumulates as an intermediary product during biogas production, from where it can be siphoned off and used for producing flavours. A new collaborative project aims to explore the technological and bioeconomic potential of extracting butyric acid from biogas plants.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/pleasant-aromas-from-biogas
Article - 25/01/2018 Ö-Klo: recovering valuable materials by composting toilets The Freiburg-based start-up company Ö-Klo leases composting toilets and is committed to the recovery of human urine and faeces. The young Ö-Klo entrepreneurs believe that reviving natural material cycles of soil, plants, food and excreta is crucial in times when natural resources such as phosphorus are dwindling. https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/oe-klo-recovering-valuable-materials-by-composting-toilets
Article - 14/12/2017 75 percent decline in insects in parts of Germany A recent study on the disappearance of insects is making headlines: it found that the insect biomass has declined by more than 75% in certain areas in Germany that were monitored by the study over a period of 27 years. The authors believe that the dramatic decline in insect biomass is down to industrial agriculture, which is therefore in conflict with certain bioeconomic principles: the sustainable cultivation of biomass and the safeguarding of…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/75-percent-decline-in-insects-in-parts-of-germany
Article - 30/11/2017 Biomass from algae and the wholesale market – a promising replacement for fossil raw materials Funding renewable energies is one of the EU’s key objectives. Biomass such as algae and organic waste are particularly promising because they are not in competition with food production. Scientists at the Fraunhofer IGB in Stuttgart ferment biomass from wholesale market waste and algae. They use a cascade process to obtain valuable materials and the biogas methane. Their aim is to close material cycles and achieve high efficiency and flexibility…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/biomasse-aus-algen-und-vom-grossmarkt-zukunftstraechtiger-ersatz-fuer-fossile-rohstoffe
Article - 27/11/2017 Microalgae – resource-saving raw materials for the food and feed sectors Coal, petrol and natural gas are our energy sources and the basis for the food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries. However, the supply of fossil fuels is gradually running out. The Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB in Stuttgart has turned to microalgae in the search for alternative sources of energy. Initial pilot projects in which a variety of different methods based on state-of-the-art technologies were…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/microalgae-resource-saving-raw-materials-for-the-food-and-feed-sectors
Article - 15/11/2017 From biomass to diesel Using the power of microbes: biochemists from Leipzig and Tübingen use the combined power of microbes and electrolysis to produce fuels from organic material. This new process uses electricity from renewable resources to produce diesel from organic waste and green cuttings, amongst other things, and can therefore also be used for storing wind and solar energy. https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/from-biomass-to-diesel
Article - 13/09/2017 Flexible biogas plant operation – new concepts for stabilising bioenergy provision The lack of flexibility with regard to peak demand for electricity – both for consumers and producers – is a well-known problem as far as the production of electricity from renewable resources is concerned. Biogas plants present a particular challenge due to the complex and relatively slow microbial processes involved. A research project called FLEXIZUCKER at the Universities of Ulm and Göttingen aims to make biogas production more flexible and…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/flexible-biogas-plant-operation-new-concepts-for-stabilising-bioenergy-provision