Plastics from the field - 12/08/2021 Great potential for biological residues Huge amounts of waste are produced both during food production and by consumers. The Conversion Technologies of Biobased Resources group at the University of Hohenheim’s Institute of Agricultural Engineering has developed a process to convert this biomass into hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), the highly potent basic chemical that is used to produce plastics.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/great-potential-biological-residues
ROKO Farming - 03/08/2021 Thinking upwards: vertical farming to be further developed into continuous production ROKO Farming’s novel technology is designed to produce fruit and vegetables worldwide all year round, while also freeing up areas for rewilding. This semi-automatic production method created by the Ulm-based business has huge future potential, as their success in innovation competitions demonstrates.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/thinking-upwards-vertical-farming-be-further-developed-continuous-production
Press release - 27/07/2021 Furniture from the biogas plant The Hallertau is Germany's largest hop-growing region. During harvesting, hop bine chaff is left over, which is converted into environmentally friendly bio natural gas on site in a biogas plant. But that is not the end of the utilization chain for this fiber plant. Researchers at the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) have used the plant-containing biogas digestate to produce a composite material that can be…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/furniture-biogas-plant
Alpha-Protein GmbH - 27/07/2021 Insect farming for sustainability Mealworms instead of fish meal and soybean meal - this is what the sustainable future of feed production looks like as Alpha-Protein GmbH see it. The company has built a highly efficient automated production plant in which residual materials from local food production are used to breed mealworms.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/insect-farming-sustainability
Press release - 16/07/2021 Robotically wound natural fibre construction 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. https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/robotically-wound-natural-fibre-construction
Press release - 09/07/2021 Refuels Are Suited for Wide Use Refuels are renewable fuels that can be produced in different ways. When they are mixed and processed such that they meet the existing fuel standards, they are suited for all types of combustion engines. This is the result of the latest vehicle and fleet tests within the project “reFuels – Rethinking Fuels” at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). Compared to fully fossil fuels, refuel mixes allow for a CO2 reduction by 25% at least. Moreover,…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/refuels-are-suited-wide-use
Press release - 07/07/2021 Treasure Hunt in Sewage Sludge The European Union is largely dependent on imports of white phosphorus (P4), a strategic raw material for the food and pharmaceutical industries. To tackle this challenge, the newly started four-year EU-funded project FlashPhos – led by the University of Stuttgart – will recover at a large scale high-quality white phosphorus and other raw materials using sewage sludge as input material. https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/schatzsuche-im-klaerschlamm
Start-up kernique catch the zeitgeist - 29/06/2021 Nut snack as a sustainable ecological concept A delicious vegan nut snack that uses no sugar, artificial additives, gluten or palm oil, is full of essential nutrients, and is part of a commitment to environmental and social sustainability. Impossible? An Esslingen-based start-up called kernique proves otherwise. The start-up is currently planning a crowdfunding phase that offers a lucrative deal for investors. The idea catches the zeitgeist, but what exactly makes it stand out?https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/nut-snack-sustainable-ecological-concept
Showcase Bioeconomy - 22/06/2021 Advanced biofuel breakthrough: HyFlexFuel converted sewage sludge and other biomasses into kerosene by hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) The EU funded research project HyFlexFuel recently succeeded to produce biocrudes via hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) from a variety of biomasses, including sewage sludge, food waste, manure, wheat straw, corn stover, pine sawdust, miscanthus and microalgae in a pilot-scale continuous HTL plant at Aarhus University (Denmark).https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/advanced-biofuel-breakthrough-hyflexfuel-converted-sewage-sludge-and-other-biomasses-kerosene-hydrothermal-liquefaction-htl
Press release - 27/05/2021 Coffee´s pulp waste becomes organic compost The pulp of coffee beans is considered a waste product on coffee plantations, which is usually thrown away or dumped into rivers - with significant negative consequences for climate change and the environment. Macarena San Martín-Ruiz from the University of Stuttgart is working with Coopetarrazú, the largest coffee cooperative in Costa Rica, to find out how the mixture of pulp and husks can be turned into organic compost and thus protect the…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/coffee-s-pulp-waste-becomes-organic-compost
Press release - 18/05/2021 BBI JU to invest €104.5 million into circular bio-based projects The Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU) has signed the grant agreements with 18 new projects, selected for funding under the 2020 Call for proposals. 199 beneficiaries from 26 countries across the EU and beyond will receive BBI JU’s financial support worth €104.5 million. This is the seventh and last BBI JU call which will bring the total investment of the initiative to €821.6 million and the BBI JU’s portfolio to 142 projects. https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/bbi-ju-invest-eur1045-million-circular-bio-based-projects
Press release - 03/05/2021 Bioactive paper coatings to replace plastic for packaging foods 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.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/bioactive-paper-coatings-replace-plastic-packaging-foods
Press release - 30/04/2021 More veg, less dairy Freiburg researchers have studied how changing their diet could influence the ecological footprint of Germans.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/more-veg-less-dairy
Press release - 23/04/2021 The Amazing Field of Science: Bioeconomy to End the Ecological Crisis Population growth and the increasing standard of living make our society face big ecological challenges: Climate change, littering of the seas, dwindling agricultural areas, resource scarcity. Bioeconomy aims at replacing fossil by regenerative resources and at using advanced and sustainable technologies based on biological knowledge and principles.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/amazing-field-science-bioeconomy-end-ecological-crisis
Press release - 21/04/2021 A study identifies the top 50 life and biological sciences and technologies driving innovation in the bio-based sectors in Europe. The study “Life and Biological Sciences and Technologies as Engines for Bio-based Innovation”, funded by the European Commission, DG Research and Innovation has been published and is now available for download from the website of the Publications Office of the European Union.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/study-identifies-top-50-life-and-biological-sciences-and-technologies-driving-innovation-bio-based-sectors-europe
Press release - 20/04/2021 Cellulose fibers against climate change Protecting the global climate is an undertaking that presents both industry and society with a major task. It will not be possible to achieve the climate targets simply by limiting global emissions, by saving carbon dioxide (CO2). This is because there will continue to be unavoidable CO2 emissions that will nevertheless have to be compensated. https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/cellulosefasern-gegen-den-klimawandel
Press release - 06/04/2021 Showcase Bioeconomy: Industrial crops make unproductive farmland profitable European project with participation of the University of Hohenheim investigates how unprofitable fields can be used sustainably while adding value with renewable raw materials.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/schaufenster-biooekonomie-industriepflanzen-machen-unproduktives-ackerland-rentabel
Press release - 23/03/2021 AFYREN and Südzucker reach long term deal to supply factory producing biobased organic acids AFYREN secures procurement of sugar beet co-products, major feedstock for industrial- scale production of its sustainable chemicals.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/afyren-and-sudzucker-reach-long-term-deal-supply-factory-producing-biobased-organic-acids
Article - 17/03/2021 Epigenetic switches in bacteria as biosensors The analysis of pathogen biomarkers and biomarkers for the diagnosis of diseases can be crucial for health. However, the detection of pathogens and diseases depends on a sensitive and reliable method that delivers rapid results. Biosensors have such properties. Researchers at the Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry (IBTB) at Stuttgart University have constructed an epigenetic circuit composed of plasmids that might make it…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/epigenetic-switches-bacteria-biosensors
Press release - 05/02/2021 Showcase Bioeconomy: Intelligent Robot Helps Preserve Orchard Meadows University of Hohenheim project contributes to maintaining valuable biotopes: Autonomous robot to help prune fruit trees so they stay healthy.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/Showcase-Bioeconomy-Intelligent-Robot-Helps-Preserve-Orchard-Meadows
From field to socket - 03/02/2021 Energy park & Donau-Silphie: a symbiosis that benefits nature Biogas plants that produce non-fossil fuels are very much in vogue at the moment. In the Swabian hamlet of Hahnennest, four family farms have joined forces to form an energy park and operate a local biogas plant, covering everything from substrate production to the sale of energy. https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/Energy-park-Donau-Silphie-a-symbiosis-that-benefits-nature
Press release - 01/02/2021 Targeting a rapid market breakthrough for new vaccine production method In a so-called inactivated or killed vaccine, the virus particles it contains are first rendered inactive by means of the toxic chemical formaldehyde. A better way of achieving this, however, is to irradiate the pathogens with low-energy electrons. Four Fraunhofer Institutes have now developed a new method of vaccine production based on this technique that is not only quicker but also guarantees a higher quality of product. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/targeting-rapid-market-breakthrough-new-vaccine-production-method
Press release - 26/01/2021 Report on the Mapping of Biomass Value Chains for Improved Sustainable Energy use in the Baltic Sea Region Countries Published The University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Polish partner of the BalticBiomass4Value project, published a report which maps biomass value chains for improved sustainable energy use in the Baltic Sea Region countries. The research focuses on the 9 Baltic Sea Region (BSR) countries: Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden, and Norway.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/report-mapping-biomass-value-chains-improved-sustainable-energy-use-baltic-sea-region-countries-published
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.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/one-cycle-ecopaper-energy-and-fertiliser-made-silphium-perfoliatum
Press release - 04/01/2021 Fungus as a sound absorber 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.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/Fungus-as-a-sound-absorber
Outlook on the future of agriculture - 30/11/2020 Agriculture 4.0 - ultramodern and without harmful plant protection products The demand for organic products is continuing to grow; at the same time nature is being preserved – so why not switch completely to organic farming? The answer is simple: because not everyone can afford it, and with current consumption patterns not everyone would get enough to eat. A cooperative project is researching an an agricultural system that falls between conventional and organic farming.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/Agriculture-4-0-ultramodern-and-without-harmful-plant-protection-products
Phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge - 21/10/2020 Bacteria help to recycle phosphorus Biotechnology for the bioeconomy: in something known as the P-bac process, sulphur bacteria extract phosphorus from sewage sludge ash. Phosphorus is one of the key building blocks of life and an essential nutrient for plant growth. When there is not enough phosphorus in the soil, farmers apply it via organic or mineral fertilisers.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/bacteria-help-recycle-phosphorus
Freudenberg Filtration Technologies - 01/10/2020 Coronavirus thwarted: with filters against aerosol spread Filter technology can effectively remove microorganisms such as the new coronavirus from aerosols. A team of experts at Freudenberg Filtration Technologies develops and produces filtration solutions that effectively reduce the spread of viruses in cars, industrial plants and public buildings. The company’s filter technology for reducing the viral load is a reliable method for enabling people to stay in closed rooms with a high density of people.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/coronavirus-thwarted-filters-against-aerosol-spread
Phytopharmaceuticals - 14/09/2020 Medicinal cannabis to be grown in Germany Anyone who thinks hemp is just an inconspicuous plant, whose ingredients can be used, at best, as an intoxicant, can quickly be proven wrong. Besides being used as a valuable raw material for textiles and building materials, the plant has great potential as a medicinal drug. The CANNABIS-NET network, coordinated by the University of Hohenheim, has been set up to establish the basis for producing medicinal hemp in Germany.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/medicinal-cannabis-be-grown-germany
Qualitative soil fertiliser - 10/07/2020 How natural cycles can be closed with wood ash Recycled material instead of waste: wood ash is good for soil and plants - if the quality is right. The German Federal Quality Association for Food Ash ensures reliable wood ash standards with its certifications. The RAL-Dünger label for fertilisers provides the necessary certification for natural wood ashes to be used in the circular economy.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/how-natural-cycles-can-be-closed-wood-ash
Perspectives of methane as energy source - 18/06/2020 New technologies for using biogas as a balancing energy The microorganisms in biogas plants do a great job biologically converting CO₂ and hydrogen, which are primary fermentation products, into methane. Biomethane has a great future as an energy source. Scientists at the University of Hohenheim are investigating new ways to produce and use biomethane.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/new-technologies-for-using-biogas-as-balancing-energy
The “Rhizo-Lentil" EIP-AGRI project - 20/05/2020 NovoCarbo turns plant waste into biochar NovoCarbo GmbH produces biochar from plant residues such as wood chips, nutshells and manure. Different feedstocks, and the way these materials are processed, create biochars with different properties. This makes biochar suitable for different uses, including as a soil conditioner, in biogas plants or as bedding for stables and cowsheds. The Rhizo-Linse project is currently investigating whether biochar is also suitable as inoculant carrier for…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/novocarbo-turns-plant-waste-into-biochar
Bioinspired technologies - 03/04/2020 Diagnostics with molecular scissors – is this also possible for on-site COVID-19 tests? The CRISPR-Cas gene-editing technology is one of the most important developments in molecular biology in recent years. It utilises molecular scissors with which nucleic acids can be cut and edited almost arbitrarily. Researchers in Freiburg, Germany have now successfully used the technology for diagnostic purposes. They are currently working intensively on expanding the system to enable it to detect genome sequences of the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/Diagnostics-with-molecular-scissors-is-this-also-possible-for-on-site-COVID-19-tests
The “Rhizo-Lentil" EIP-AGRI project - 03/03/2020 University of Hohenheim wants to improve the conditions for lentil cultivation Lentils were once considered poor man’s food, but in Germany demand for them has never been greater. And to satisfy this growing demand, more lentils need to be cultivated. This is why the University of Hohenheim is involved in the EIP-AGRI "Rhizo-Linse" project. The aim of the project is to find rhizobia strains that go well with lentil plants to increase yield and improve quality.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/University-of-Hohenheim-wants-to-improve-the-conditions-for-lentil-cultivation
Biogas and wood as components of the energy transition - 10/02/2020 New perspectives for bioenergy Decentralised, controllable and stable - renewable energy is an important component in the transition to a bioeconomy without fossil fuels. BIOPRO spoke to PD Dr. Andreas Lemmer from the State Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Bioenergy at the University of Hohenheim and Prof. Dr. Stefan Pelz, scientific director of the Institute for Applied Research and professorat the University of Applied Forest Sciences Rottenburg.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/New-perspectives-for-bioenergy
Producing valuable new products from waste materials - 07/01/2020 A vision: insect biorefineries as components of a sustainable bioeconomy Eco-friendly and responsibly manufactured products are more in demand than ever before. Specific research is being carried out into materials and applications for a wide variety of uses. The Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB is working with Hermetia Baruth GmbH on the vision of an insect biofactory that uses waste materials to produce a wide range of products such as biosurfactants, animal feed or foils. https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/A-vision-insect-biorefineries-as-components-of-a-sustainable-bioeconomy
EIP-AGRI project coordination - 12/12/2019 nadicom: “Rhizo-Linse” project – excellent small fertiliser factories Lentil plants, rarely cultivated in Central Europe in the twentieth century, are making a comeback. The "Rhizo-Linse"1 EIP-AGRI project aims to reintroduce old lentil varieties and make them appealing to farmers. A company called nadicom Gesellschaft für angewandte Mikrobiologie mbH is working on the development of an ecological product consisting of nodule bacteria that can improve lentil plant growth.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/nadicom-Rhizo-Linse-project-excellent-small-fertiliser-factories
CRISPR/Cas9 and genetic engineering laws - 27/11/2019 Transgene-free plant breeding using genome editing Plant geneticists from Tübingen have used genome deletion to breed a variety of tomato that is resistant to powdery mildew. The CRISPR/Cas9 technology that they used enabled them to achieve this in a relatively short period of time. They also demonstrated beyond any doubt that the new tomato variety contains no foreign DNA and is indistinguishable from naturally occurring deletion mutants.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/transgene-free-plant-breeding-using-genome-editing
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…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/pflanztoepfe-aus-naturfasern-bio-ohne-wenn-und-aber
Two-part interview part 2 | Prof. Dr. Ortwin Renn on the green genetic engineering debate - 26/08/2019 "Green genetic engineering is a scapegoat, but no longer an innocent one" Many scientists are expecting revolutionary advances in research to come from new molecular biology tools such as the CRISPR/Cas gene scissors. These methods are very important for agriculture, especially plant breeding and nutrition. However, the debate on green genetic engineering 2.0 looks like it may once again be heading for ideological battles. We talked with Prof. Dr. Ortwin Renn and asked him about opportunities for better communication.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/renn-green-genetic-engineering
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.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/mehr-als-eine-harte-nuss-neue-produkte-fur-die-biookonomie
Article - 27/05/2019 Providing Growledge - resources and products for the bioeconomy Miscanthus and hemp are biomass plants that can be used as raw materials for a wide range of products and can be grown on land areas that are currently underutilised. A European consortium led by the University of Hohenheim in Baden-Württemberg has started a five-year project to demonstrate the economic potential of these plants.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/providing-growledge-resources-and-products-for-the-bioeconomy
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 - 02/04/2019 Simple sugar could soon compete with glyphosate For many decades, glyphosate has been a common component of agricultural pesticides worldwide, although it is a controversial herbicide that may be harmful. The good news is that a more sustainable alternative is now in sight: researchers from the University of Tübingen have discovered a sugar molecule called 7-deoxy-sedoheptulose (7dSh) which inhibits the growth of plants and microorganisms, but appears to be completely harmless to human cells.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/simple-sugar-could-soon-compete-with-glyphosate
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 - 11/02/2019 Natural biopolymers - the sustainable almost-all-rounders Wood pulp as well as hemp and flax are renewable raw materials that can be processed into fibres of a new performance class using innovative technologies. They are environmentally friendly and help to solve waste problems. Products and processes for these fibres of the future are being developed at the DITF Denkendorf. They are suitable for textile and technical applications.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/natural-biopolymers-the-sustainable-almost-all-rounders
Article - 24/01/2019 Scientists to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria in wastewater In Germany, around 1,500 tonnes of antibiotics per year are administered to humans and animals. As a result, more and more bacteria are developing resistance to common antibiotics. As part of HyReKA, a cooperative project funded by the BMBF, scientists led by Professor Thomas Schwartz from the KIT are investigating how antibiotic-resistant pathogens spread and how they can be prevented from doing so.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/scientists-to-combat-antibiotic-resistant-bacteria-in-wastewater
Article - 24/01/2019 Scientists to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria in wastewater In Germany, around 1,500 tonnes of antibiotics per year are administered to humans and animals. As a result, more and more bacteria are developing resistance to common antibiotics. As part of HyReKA, a cooperative project funded by the BMBF, scientists led by Professor Thomas Schwartz from the KIT are investigating how antibiotic-resistant pathogens spread and how they can be prevented from doing so.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/scientists-to-combat-antibiotic-resistant-bacteria-in-wastewater