Bioeconomy

Press release - 10/01/2011

Establishment of an environmental technology network in Baden-Württemberg

The Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs is supporting the establishment of a state-wide environmental technology network through the “Plattform Umwelttechnik e.V.” by providing financial support with ERDF funds. BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg is part of the network and is specifically tasked with the exploration of the development potential of biotechnology for the Baden-Württemberg environmental sector.

Press release - 20/11/2010

BioNexGen: new membrane technologies for water treatment

All steam ahead for international research cooperation at the Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences: The “BioNexGen” project brings together eleven partners from Europe and the MENA countries (Middle East and North Africa) with the objective of developing membranes with new nanostructured functional layers for the treatment of wastewater. The consortium is led by Prof. Dr. Jan Hoinkis, Director of the Institute of Applied Research at the…

Article - 25/10/2010

Industrial biopolymers – between children’s shoes and seven-league boots

The International Symposium on Biopolymers was held in Stuttgart between 4th and 7th October 2010. The event organisers also held a special focus day on industrial applications as suggested by BIOPRO. The conclusions drawn from the Industry Day can be summarised as follows methods are becoming increasingly mature production capacities are growing and the price of biobased polymers and bulk chemicals are becoming more attractive. However many…

Article - 10/07/2010

Algae light up industry

The potential of Microalgae cannot yet be optimally used on the large scale. The bioprocess engineer Dr. Rosa Rosello and her team at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology KIT are investigating the conditions under which different microalgae species can optimally grow in photobioreactors and lead to high product yields. It is all a question of light and shade.

Article - 07/05/2010

Effective utilisation and processing of renewable resources

Fermentation isolation separation and purification are key processes in the overall workflow that enable the prepartion of substances from renewable resources and biotechnological production. Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB in Stuttgart are focusing on the development of new innovative methods.

Article - 10/04/2010

“We need to tap alternative energy sources”

Prof. Dr. Christoph Wittmann from the TU Braunschweig is a partner in the BiopolymersBiomaterials cluster. He is developing mathematical models of metabolic processes to optimise microorganisms for use in biotechnology. In an interview with Christoph Bächtle Wittmann talks about systems biology drawing-board organisms biobased plastics and biotechnologys capacity to complement existing large-scale methods.

Article - 04/02/2010

Fraunhofer IGB – from biobased materials to products

The Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB carries out applied research in the fields of medicine pharmacy chemistry environment and energy. The IGB looks for sustainable solutions using nature as model.

Article - 01/02/2010

Succinic acid – producing a green platform chemical with biotech

Fermentative Production of Succinic Acid is the title of one of the projects being worked on by the BiopolymersBiomaterials cluster in Baden-Württemberg. Researchers from BASF SE one of the project partners have isolated a bacterium with highly promising properties including the ability to use glycerine a waste product of biodiesel production as substrate for the efficient production of succinic acid.

Press release - 21/01/2010

Driving cars with biogas produced from biological waste

The ETAMAX research project brings together partners from research, the energy sector and industry and is aimed at using a combined, modular process to produce biogas from low-lignocellulosic waste such as supermarket waste and micro-algal biomass, at the same time as closing all substance cycles. The regenerative biomethane will be used to fuel a small fleet of gas-driven vehicles.

Article - 01/12/2009

Ralf Takors – a bio-engineer

Multidisciplinary talent, people who can combine biological knowledge in an outstanding way with engineering, is in great demand. Ralf Takors, who has been head of the Institute of Bioprocess Engineering (IBVT) at the University of Stuttgart since July 2009, is one such talent.

Article - 01/07/2009

KIT - Competence in bioprocess engineering

The purification of microbially produced substances such as proteins and polysaccharides and their separation from or release from within the cell are complex tasks in the field of biotechnology. The Bioprocess Engineering department of the Institute of Process Engineering in the Life Sciences TH deals with the development of integrated bioprocesses and is also involved in the separation of biopolymers.

Press release - 16/12/2008

The Biopolymers / Biomaterials Cluster

BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg GmbH’s Biopolymers/Biomaterials Cluster was one of five clusters to come out top in the German BioIndustrie Competition in 2007. The BMBF will provide a total of 10 million euros in funding for the implementation of the proposal from 2007 to 2021.

Press release - 07/04/2008

Bacteria for the production of better plastics

Nylon made by bacteria high-tech plastics from the bioreactor the BiopolymersBiomaterials cluster has plans to combine biotechnology with polymer technology and hence boost innovation in traditional industries such as the chemical and automobile industries.

Energy experts have been dreaming about using hydrogen as an inexhaustible energy source for a long time. However this vision has not yet become reality. The search for intelligent affordable methods that can be used to convert sun energy wind or water power into hydrogen has so far led to dead ends. However small algae might now pave the way into the hydrogen era.

Dossier - 28/03/2008

Bioprocess engineering - more than just the sum of individual disciplines

The inclusion of biological processes in production processes has huge potential for industry. Bioprocess engineering helps to produce materials more efficiently than ever before at the same time it opens up ways to new and often better products. Bioprocess engineering on the one hand is part of biotechnology but on the other hand it is also part of process engineering.