Bioeconomy

Article - 22/10/2012

How can a green economy protect the environment?

Jointly organised by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the German Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), the recent Green Economy conference focused on how a sustainable bioeconomy can contribute to creating an environmentally friendly future. The conference participants agreed that immediate action was needed. Research programmes have been put in place to explore the…

Press release - 16/07/2012

CO2-development: a vision of a carbon dioxid economy

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are largely responsible for the greenhouse effect and thus for climate change. A reduction in CO2 emissions is therefore at the very top of the international political agenda. Trials are running in parallel to explore underground sequestration of CO2 from power stations, thereby removing it from the atmosphere. It would at first sight seem paradoxical to wish to use energy-poor, inert CO2 molecules. Considerable…

Article - 25/06/2012

The Tara Oceans Expedition

The Tara Oceans Expedition has now come to an end after a 115,000 km round-the-world voyage lasting two and a half years. Under the scientific leadership of Dr. Eric Karsenti from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, the expedition has collected a unique quantity and diversity of samples and data about marine plankton. The purpose of this international project is to carry out morphogenomic analyses and obtain detailed insights…

Article - 14/05/2012

Biogas and sustainability

The German Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) has led to a considerable increase in the use of biogas in Germany. However, increasing biogas production must make ecological sense and not generate conflict with the sustainability objectives of environmental conservation schemes. There must therefore be a careful consideration of the overall conditions. An analysis of the ecological impact of the generation and use of biogas in Germany taking into…

Press release - 07/03/2012

Bio-based plastics convince with high climate protection potential and low use of fossil resources

A meta-analysis of 30 life cycle assessments by the nova-Institute for innovation and ecology on behalf of the Proganic company shows unambiguously positive results for the widespread bio-based plastics PLA and PHA/PHB.

Press release - 15/11/2011

Are Natural Halogenated Hyrdocarbons Harmful to the Ozone Layer?

Over 20 years ago, the industrial production of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) was prohibited in order to protect the ozone layer. However, research findings by environmental physicists from Heidelberg University suggest that the ozone layer may also be damaged by natural chlorinated, brominated and possibly iodinated hydrocarbons formed in significant amounts by water plants and microorganisms on the oceanic coasts. This conjecture, recently…

Article - 19/09/2011

Uwe Ludewig and the future of agricultural crops

Prof. Dr. Uwe Ludewig has been head of the Department of Nutritional Crop Physiology at the University of Hohenheim for around a year now. Physicist by training and specialist in electrophysiology, Prof. Ludewig now works mainly on transport processes in plants. He plans to use molecular relationships to enhance the potential of agricultural crops, reduce the use of fertilisers and make agricultural plants fit for climate change.

Article - 19/09/2011

k-labor GmbH – a specialist in material analysis and characterisation

k-labor GmbH focuses on the initial inspection of samples for the automotive industry and the testing of a broad range of different materials. k-labor also specialises in environmental simulations and durability testing and offers consulting and the transfer of technologies in the plastics sector.

Press release - 02/09/2011

Environment Action Programme evaluated

Major accomplishments in the field of environment during the past ten years have been the extension of the Natura 2000 network to cover almost 18 of the EUs land area the introduction of a comprehensive chemicals policy and policy action on climate change.

Press release - 05/05/2011

European Commission announces new strategy to halt biodiversity loss

The European Commission presented today a new strategy to protect and improve the state of Europe's biodiversity over the next decade.

Dossier - 04/04/2011

Microalgae as suppliers of energy?

In view of dwindling oil reserves and ongoing climate change, microalgae are gaining in importance as suppliers of energy. The major advantage of microalgae is that they can be used to produce CO2-neutral fuels without competing with food production. However, despite intensive efforts, the economic production of biofuels from microalgae is not yet possible. This dossier will present and discuss the opportunities and challenges associated with the…

Article - 04/03/2011

Useful algal genome sequencing

Whole-genome sequence analyses have become indispensable for algal research. Sequence analyses provide information on the evolution of different groups of algae and contribute to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms algae use to adapt to climate change as well as unlocking the potential to develop new and economically important products and technologies.

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 - 22/10/2009

On the track of fascinating diatoms

Diatoms make a considerable contribution to the production of oxygen and biomass in the worlds oceans and aquatic ecosystems. However up until now little is known about the molecular biology and chemistry of these eukaryotic algae. Prof. Peter Kroth and his team at the University of Constance are hoping to shed more light on these algae. The team has recently been involved in the deciphering of the Phaeodactylum tricornutum genome research that…

The high-yield cultivation of maize has for a long time since been unthinkable without hybrid plant breeding. The phenomenon used by plant breeders to achieve high crop yields nevertheless harbours many secrets. Science is using the methods of modern genome research to solve the mystery of heterosis in order to speed up hybrid plant breeding and establish heterosis in many other agriculturally important crop species.

Press release - 12/05/2009

Awards for bioreactor

Two Fraunhofer scientists have been awarded this year’s Ferchau Innovation Award. The first place, along with prize money of 10,000 euros, was awarded to Prof. Walter Trösch from the Fraunhofer Institute of Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB in Stuttgart. Trösch uses photobioreactors to bind CO2 produced from flue gas plants. The second place, and 7,500 euros, went to Michael Emonts from the Fraunhofer Institute for Production…

Article - 03/03/2009

Protein communicates information about stress

During evolution plants had to learn to cope with stress factors such as drought or high salt concentrations in soil. Biologists working with Professor Dr. Ralf Reski and Dr. Wolfgang Frank at the University of Freiburg in cooperation with British researchers have discovered a protein involved in the transfer of information about environmental stress to the nucleus. It appears that this protein has an important role to play in the plants ability…

Press release - 14/01/2009

Hunters of lost treasures

On 1st December 2008 Prof. Dr. Karl Schmid the first person to hold the F.W. Schnell Foundations endowed professorship for crop biodiversity and breeding informatics started the ball rolling on a unique European-wide project. Schmid and his colleagues are searching gigantic databases in which genetic analyses and plant descriptions are stored for hidden treasures.

The report Future Bioenergy and Sustainable Land Use is the first integrated study of bioenergy to explore the issue in the context of global environmental and development policy. It shows that the global sustainable potential for producing energy from biomass is significant.

Press release - 20/10/2008

Blue algae - malicious killers?

Toxicologist Prof. Daniel Dietrich and his group of researchers at the University of Constance are working on clarifying the circumstances under which blue algae produce toxins and whether they are toxic for humans and animals.

Biogas experts at the University of Hohenheim believe that up to 50 per cent more energy can be achieved per hectare of cultivated energy crops. The researchers are hoping that Germanys first biogas research plant will provide them with new insights.

Dr. Gerhard Leubner from the University of Freiburg is investigating the regulation of seed dormancy and the onset of germination. The scientists insights are extremely valuable for companies that are working on the optimisation of seeds for agricultural purposes.

Agricultural experts from the University of Hohenheim rate the results of the World Food Summit in Rome as very disappointing. Conference participants only agreed to short-term measures amounting to a total investment of less than 10 billion dollars.

The BioRegio STERN Management GmbH and the Wirtschaftsförderung Region Stuttgart GmbH sent out invitations to the 7th Brüssels Background entitled Bio-energy Out of research. Into practice. Experts presented and discussed the latest figures and information on the subject of bio-energy.

Dr. Wolfgang Fiedler head of the Radolfzell ornithological station was practically born into his profession. Born on the Mettnau peninsula which is close to the station Fiedler spent hours and hours watching birds as a child. Later when he was at school he worked as a volunteer in the ornithological station.