Sustainable methanol production from biomass

Methanol is a valuable synthetic raw material in the chemical industry that is also used as a solvent and fuel. In future, methanol produced from plant-based raw materials and residues could replace some of the methanol currently based on fossil raw materials. However, this requires new processes that are less complex and energy-intensive than those used to date. Researchers at Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU) are now presenting a new method for sustainable methanol production from biomass.

‘Our product can supplement flour in various foods.’

Beer production generates huge quantities of spent grain every year. Most of it ends up as animal feed or in biogas plants. But spent grain is a valuable and nutrient-rich raw material. The start-up ValueGrain has made it its mission to harness this previously untapped resource for the food industry. A team led by managing director and co-founder Tim Gräsing has developed a technology that processes spent grain into ‘liquid flour’ that can be used to supplement conventional flours in all kinds of pasta, but also in meat substitute products.

‘Enzymes create proteins with customised properties’

Proteins are an important part of our diet. The majority of essential nutrients are still obtained from animal protein sources such as meat. However, factory farming, pesticide use and climate change are increasingly threatening soil and groundwater and putting pressure on agriculture. Plant-based proteins are an alternative. Compared to animal proteins, these often have some disadvantageous properties. During processing, for example, undesirable flavours or gel and foam can form.

Healthy asparagus plants thanks to rhubarb extract and microbes

They say two is better than one. But is that also true in plant protection? A team at Anhalt University of Applied Sciences (HSA) looked into this question. The scientists had discovered that certain plant extracts and beneficial microorganisms can protect crops against fungal diseases. ‘So we asked ourselves: what if we combined the two?’ explains agricultural scientist Marit Gillmeister. This led to the KombiAktiv2 project, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and headed by Prof. Ingo Schellenberg from HSA in Bernburg.

Fighting mosquitoes and cockroaches with fungi

Mosquitoes of the genus Aedes and cockroaches pose a significant health risk worldwide. However, controlling them with chemicals is problematic due to environmental consequences, the development of resistance, the decline in biodiversity, and the proximity of their habitat to humans, which limits the use of insecticides. The ‘Fungi 4 VectorControl’ project therefore aimed to develop effective biological alternatives based on insect-pathogenic fungi.

Sound Absorber

In interior design, walls are therefore often covered with so-called sound absorbers. The open-pored surface of the insulation elements absorbs sound and can thus improve room acoustics. However, the panels are usually made of mineral fibres or plastic foams. Some of these materials are neither particularly sustainable nor easily recyclable.

Practical laboratory for soil erosion research opens

Soils are among the most important foundations of life and fulfil a variety of functions for humans and the environment, such as storing carbon and securing food supplies. However, climate-related extreme weather events such as drought and heavy rainfall are putting pressure on this valuable resource and thus increasingly on the existence of agricultural businesses. Soil erosion is a major challenge. There are methods such as growing catch crops or planting trees on fields to better protect the soil.

VitiForst as an opportunity for sustainable viticulture

Heat, drought and heavy rainfall are posing increasingly significant challenges for viticulture in this country. In addition, climate change is promoting various fungal diseases. Agroforestry systems in viticulture could provide a remedy, as the ‘VitiForst’ project shows. In this project, researchers from the Universities of Hohenheim and Freiburg, together with partners from the field, are investigating how the combined cultivation of vines and trees affects the water balance, nitrogen supply and, ultimately, wine quality.