Bioeconomy

An international research team has calculated the potential for material efficiency strategies in residential buildings and passenger cars. Up to two-thirds of global emissions could be saved in these areas, provided that appropriate strategies are consistently implemented.

The "livMatS Pavilion" in the Botanical Garden of the University of Freiburg is a model for a bioinspired sustainable construction. In a joint project, researchers from the Universities of Freiburg and Stuttgart together with master’s students from the University of Stuttgart have designed a lightweight pavilion.

The amount of plastic waste increases every year. Some of this waste is due to plastic packaging used to protect food. As part of the “BioActiveMaterials” project, researchers at the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft have developed an eco-friendly coating for paper packaging. With this, not only is plastic saved, but the coating of plant-based proteins and waxes also extends the shelf life of the food.

The BioSinn project found products and applications for which biodegradation at the end-of-life is a real option. 25 fact sheets answer technical and regulatory questions for each application. The market volume of these applications was also estimated: in Germany it is about 170,000 tonnes, in the European Union about 1 million tonnes per year!

Systematically prepared and easily accessible research data can provide an essential basis for decision-making for a wide range of stakeholders from politics, science and industry. The resource database developed by the DBFZ, which contains a wealth of information on various biomass potentials and their current use, has been extensively expanded and is now also available in two languages (DE/EN) with a variety of new functionalities.

Paper technology - 10/03/2021

PLAFCO – a sustainable plastic substitute made from paper

Plastic is indispensable: it is cheap and practical and found in many disposable products such as drinking straws, disposable tableware or even packaging like bonded beverage cartons or bags – and it has a disastrous effect on the environment. The start-up company Plafco Fibertech Oy has developed a sustainable plastic substitute made of paper that could replace many disposable plastic products in the future.

Just like cellulose, lignin and fats, proteins are renewable raw materials. Their potential for the chemical industry remains largely untapped. Research teams at the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV are collaborating with partners to change all this, the idea being to use the promising technofunctional properties of vegetable proteins for industrial applications. The aim of the TeFuProt project is to shift away from…

On 8 February, the European Parliament adopted its Own Initiative Report on the Circular Economy which recognised the role of bioplastics for the future. Amongst other issues highlighted, the MEPs emphasised the potential role of bio–based and biodegradable and compostable plastics in the circular economy whilst noting that bio-based and/or biodegradable plastics alone will not provide a solution to the environmental concerns related to plastics.

The European Commission agreed on the successor of BBI JU – the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) in a legislative proposal adopted today. The new partnership between the EU and the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) is expected to build on the success of BBI JU while stepping up its contribution to the EU’s climate targets, in line with the European Green Deal. The European Parliament and Council will now study the…

Textiles can be coated with the biopolymer chitosan and thus made water-repellent by binding hydrophobic molecules. The good thing is that this can also replace toxic and petroleum-based substances that are currently used for textile finishing. In the last few years Fraunhofer IGB and partners have developed technology to provide fibers with the desired properties using biotechnological processes and chitosan.

Microbiologists at the University of Tübingen modify bacteria to produce climate-neutral and rapidly degradable bioplastics.

Paper production from plant fibres - 20/01/2021

In one cycle: ecopaper, energy and fertiliser made from Silphium perfoliatum

Many consumers don't care about exactly how their paper packaging is made and what it is made of as long as it is "eco". But even producing recycled paper, trees need to be felled. An alternative could be paper made from cup plant. Together with partners, a company called Silphie Paper has developed concept for obtaining fibres for a new type of grass paper, while also producing heat, energy and nutrients for natural fertilisers.

Biobased building materials - 14/01/2021

Chitin for the development of sustainable materials for use in the construction and other industries

Pliable and robust, light and stable - it sounds like an ideal material for the construction and many other industries. A team of researchers at the University of Stuttgart is researching what purposes the naturally good properties of chitin can serve.

As healthy and tasty as mushrooms might be, they are good for much more than just the dinner plate. The Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT has now teamed up with the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP to investigate the use of fungus-based materials for the fabrication of eco-friendly sound absorbers.

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.

EU research project with the participation of the University of Hohenheim searches for new, sustainable food additives and packaging materials from seaweeds and seagrasses.

New biomaterials developed at the University of Bayreuth eliminate risk of infection and facilitate healing processes. These nanostructured materials are based on spider silk proteins. They prevent colonization by bacteria and fungi, but at the same time proactively assist in the regeneration of human tissue. They are therefore ideal for implants, wound dressings, prostheses, contact lenses, and other everyday aids.

A viscous biopaste that is easy to process, solidifies quickly and is suitable for producing even complex structures using the 3D printing process has been developed by a research team headed by Prof. Dr. Marie-Pierre Laborie from the Chair of Forest Biomaterials at the University of Freiburg. The wood-based biodegradable synthetic could potentially be used in lightweight construction, amongst other things.

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.

"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’”

Article - 21/10/2019

Plant pots made of natural fibres – "bio", no ifs or buts

Plastic plant pots are not good for the environment; strictly speaking, they should not even be disposed of in recycling bins. Alternatives such as coconut fibre pots are compostable, but not pollutant-free and not "bio" at all. The Karlsruhe-based company Fiber Engineering has developed a truly ecofriendly way to grow plants: pots made of hemp or grass, which are preserved with biological components and decompose completely within a…

Article - 10/07/2019

More than just a nut – new products for the bioeconomy

Plants are often used for one particular purpose only. However, walnut trees have much more to offer than just delicious nuts. The AlpBioEco project is studying the potential of walnut trees for the bioeconomy and how the potential can be exploited commercially. The international team of researchers is also focusing on apples and herbs.