Bioeconomy News

Number of search results: 1021
Mann im Laborkittel arbeitet im Labor.
Dr. Christian Sonnendecker from the Institute of Analytical Chemistry at the University of Leipzig at work in the laboratory.

PET demand ever higher

Researchers in Leipzig have improved the efficiency of an enzyme that can degrade the plastic familiar from bottles.

Sie sind hauchdünn aber ultrastark: die Biostell-Fasern von AMSilk aus biotechnologisch hergestellten Spinnenseiden-Proteinen.
They are wafer-thin but ultra-strong: AMSilk's Biosteel fibers made from biotechnologically produced spider silk proteins.

Fresh capital for AMSilk

Biotech company AMSilk has raised an additional €25 million in a Series C financing round to advance its global market presence.

Bio-Abfall
By using activated carbon from kitchen waste to treat wastewater, researchers hope to protect water bodies from pollutants.

Biowaste to clean wastewater

To close urban carbon cycles, researchers at the University of Kassel want to investigate whether activated carbon made from potato peels, food scraps and other kitchen waste is suitable for wastewater treatment.

Maschinelle Ernte der Torfmoose auf dem Feldversuch bei Oldenburg
Mechanical harvesting of peat mosses on the field trial near Oldenburg

First results on peat moss paludiculture

Researchers have been able to demonstrate that the rewetted cultivation areas of peat mosses are genuine greenhouse gas sinks. This could save up to 85% of CO2 emissions.

Möbel, Autoteile oder Skateboards: Umweltfreundlicher Chitosan-Flachs-Verbundwerkstoff von Forschenden der Universität Stuttgart könnte in vielen Bereichen Strukturmaterialien auf fossiler Basis ersetzen
Furniture, car parts or skateboards: Environmentally friendly chitosan flax composite material from researchers at the University of Stuttgart could replace fossil-based structural materials in many applications.

Bio-composite made from flax and chitosan

Researchers have developed a new bio-composite material that is made from CO2-neutral raw materials and is biodegradable.

Eine Frau blickt durch eine Lücke in einem orangefarbenen Polymerbauteil
Traceless co-founder Anne Lamp is one of the nominees for the Renewable Material of the Year 2023 award with her plastic-free polymer material.

Innovative materials without fossil raw materials

With COLIPI and traceless materials, two German start-ups have qualified for the finals of the "Renewable Material of the Year 2023" award.

Chemikerinnen und Chemiker der Uni Jena nutzen Biertreber als biologische Ressource für die Herstellung elektrochemischer Energiespeicher.
Brewer's grains are a by-product of the brewing process and can be used in a variety of ways.

Using brewery waste for battery production

Researchers at the University of Jena have extracted activated carbon from brewer's grains and used it as a raw material for the production of electrochemical energy storage systems.

Oberkörper eines Mannes, der im Labor steht
Marc Nowaczyk researches the enzyme complexes involved in photosynthesis.

Efficient biocatalysts for solar cells

Researchers have succeeded in harnessing electrons from the early stages of photosynthesis.

Kontrukt aus Holz und Kunststoff, auf dem eine Möhre abgebildet ist
This gripper arm made of biopolyester still looks very much like research.

Biodegradable muscles for robots

For more sustainability in soft robotics, a Max Planck research team has developed artificial muscles made of gelatin, oil and bioplastics.

ausgerolltes Netz aus beigefarbenen Fasern
The renewable natural fibers used for leno fabrics, which are available regionally or across Europe, and a partially bio-based coating help improve the carbon footprint of the construction industry.

Textile concrete for sustainable building

Fraunhofer researchers have developed a natural fiber reinforcement for concrete that can be a bio-based alternative to synthetic fibers.

Feld mit gelb blühenden Pflanzen und locker bewölktem blauem Himmel
Indole not only gives rapeseed fields their characteristic odor, but is also a starting material for medicinally relevant compounds.

New biocatalyst for medical agents

Researchers have optimized an enzyme that activates indole and indene to produce, for example, the precursor of an HIV protease inhibitor.

Regenwald, angrenzend an eine Ölpalmenplantage
The researchers compared the effects of live roots or leaf litter in small experimental plots in the rainforest (left) with oil palm plantations (right).

Plant roots are more important for tropical soil life than assumed

Without contact with roots, one third fewer decomposers live in the soil. This is what biodiversity researchers from Germany found out during studies in tropical rainforests and plantations.

Hände in weißen Handschuhe halten hallte und dunkle Holzhackschnitzel
Beechwood chips (right) torrefied by superheated steam have an increased calorific value compared to untreated chips (left) and are also water-repellent.

Thermochemical refinement of wood

Researchers from Fraunhofer IGB have developed a process for torrefaction of biomass. It is now being tested on a large scale to produce green chemicals and biochar.

Eine Rolle mit weißer Faser und ein Glasbecher mit weißen Perlen vor einer Produktionsanlage
The DITF develops polyester fibers and granules whose basic building blocks use CO2 from industrial waste gases as a raw material.

CO2 as raw material for polyester fibers

A European research project aims to reduce fossil raw materials in the textile industry and make PET fibers recyclable.

Kunstrasenfläche mit weißer Seitenlinie und aufwirbelnden schwarzen Punkten
On artificial turf, the filler granules swirl into the air.

Artificial turf fields made from biobased materials

In Ellwangen, a sports field is being built with a playing surface made of biopolymers.

Seifenblasen
Many surfactants are still produced on the basis of petroleum or tropical oils.

With enzymes to biobased lipopeptide surfactants

Researchers from Cologne University of Applied Sciences (TH Köln) and Aachen University of Applied Sciences (FH Aachen) have developed an enzymatic process that can be used to produce biosurfactants from domestic raw materials more sustainably.

Drohne düngt das Feld
In agriculture, technical solutions for precision crop production are often only used in isolation.

Potentials of precise plant cultivation

In a mixed agricultural operation, a team led by ATB researchers from Potsdam wants to demonstrate the benefits of systematic use of precision crop management techniques.

Zuckerrübe
Researchers have produced bioased aniline from plant biomass such as sugar beets.

Covestro: Towards bio-based aniline

Covestro and its partners have developed a process to obtain the important chemical aniline from biomass. The process is now being scaled up to pilot production.

Plastikflaschen recyceln
Biotechnological processes can make plastics recycling more sustainable.

Recycling synthetic polymers with enzymes

Researchers have identified new biocatalysts that can make recycling of the plastics polyurethane and polyvinyl alcohol resource-efficient and environmentally friendly.

 

links und rechts: Johannes Neidel, Hillary Onyebuchi Onyishi (beide Fraunhofer UMSICHT), Mitte: Natividad Jordan Escalona (RWE) an der Anlage in Niederaußem
Left and right: Johannes Neidel, Hillary Onyebuchi Onyishi (both Fraunhofer UMSICHT), center: Natividad Jordan Escalona (RWE) at the plant in Niederaussem.

Sustainable hydrocarbons from biomass

A pyrolysis plant developed by Fraunhofer researchers was commissioned at RWE's Niederaussem research site to convert residual and waste materials into high-quality hydrocarbons.

Bioeconomy in Germany

Now available in English: Bioeconomy in Germany

Last year, the comprehensive brochure “Bioökonomie in Deutschland” was published in a completely revised and updated version. Now the standard work on the bio-based economy in Germany has been translated into English.

Zu Rundballen zusammengepresstes Weizenstroh
Obtaining sustainable chemicals from biomass is not always easy.

New catalysts for biomass utilization

Converting biomass into chemicals is a technical challenge. Supported with 2 million euros from the European Research Council, a Hamburg research team develops new catalysts specifically for this purpose.

Ein junger Mann mit Brille und Laborkittel beschriftet im Labor einen Glaskolben
Prof. Eric Helfrich is developing new methods to track down previously undiscovered natural substances.

DFG funding for search for natural substances

Machine learning is used to detect atypical peptides in bacteria and make them available for use.

Spinnen von AMSilks Seidenprotein
AMSilk's bioengineered spider silk fibers could replace petroleum-based textile fibers made from polyethylene or polyamide.

AMSilk partners with BRAIN Biotech

Biotech companies AMSilk and BRAIN Biotech will collaborate on the development of high-performance protein fibers for the textile industry.

Blick auf die Schrammsteine in der Sächsischen Schweiz
Saxony has a solid raw material base for a bio-based and sustainable economy.

Driving the bioeconomy forward in Saxony

With the event series "Bioeconomy Workshop Saxony", an alliance of business and science aims to bring innovative concepts of the bioeconomy into practice.

Bodenpilz
Soil fungi can promote nutrient uptake by the plant, but they can also cause rot and cause the plant to die.

Dead soil microbes influence the CO2 content

The carbon cycle in soil is significantly influenced by the way microorganisms die.

alter Brauereikessel
Microorganisms such as yeast cells have been used by brewers for centuries as biofactories for beer production.

Field test for optimized cell factories

With an EU grant, Max Planck researchers want to bring their new concept for optimizing microbial production organisms into biotechnological application.

fertig gepresste Rindenplatten
Pressed bark panels

Glue free wood panels from tree bark

Researchers have succeeded in pressing wooden boards from the bark of native trees that do not require glue, thus enabling easy reuse.

Bauarbeiter verlegen ein mannshohes schwarzes Rohr im Boden.
Pipes like this are also mostly made of HDPE today. Now researchers have developed a biodegradable alternative.

Biodegradable alternative to HD polyethylene developed

A special polyester has properties comparable to thermoplastics and is both recyclable and microbially degradable.

Acker-Schmalwand (Arabidopsis thaliana) Versuchspflanzen im Gewächshaus
Researchers used the example of the field thale cress to investigate how plants protect themselves from too much sun.

How plants protect themselves from sun

Plants protect their cells from too much sun with the help of color pigments. The signal for this is given by the sugars from photosynthesis.

Labor
An industry survey conducted by BIO Deutschland shows that the heyday of German biotechnology is over.

Biotechnology sector at a low

After two years of record figures, the mood in the German biotechnology industry is worse than ever. This is shown by the annual survey of the industry association BIO Deutschland for 2022.

Das mittlere der drei Fleischstücke besteht aus Pflanzenfasern.
No difference can be seen: However, the middle of the three pieces of meat is made of plant fibers.

Fresh capital for Project Eaden

Berlin-based food tech startup Project Eaden receives another €2 million in a seed round to further develop its fiber technology for producing plant-based meat.

Der heimische Anbau von Sojabohnen könnte die Abhängigkeit von Importen verringern.
Domestic cultivation of soybeans could reduce dependence on imports.

Climate change requires breeding of new soybean varieties

Soy production in Europe could be further increased by breeding new drought- and heat-tolerant varieties.

Hände halten einen Pflanzensetzling
A cucumber plant is grafted onto a pumpkin plant.

Grafting and genome editing for rapid creation of new varieties

Max Planck researchers have presented a combination method that produces plants without traces of the gene scissors.

Algen in Reagenzgläsern
Algae need one thing to grow: sunlight.

Algae as green hydrogen producers

A German-Japanese research team wants to enable algae to produce green hydrogen without photosynthesis even at night.

Oleogele und Backwaren
Oleogels and baked goods

Oleogels as palm oil substitute

Researchers have succeeded in developing a domestic alternative to palm oil from rapeseed oil.

Die Mikrobe des Jahres 2023, Bacillus subtilis, bildet Biofilme mit vielfältigen Strukturen.
The microbe of the year 2023, Bacillus subtilis, forms biofilms with diverse structures.

Bacillus subtilis is Microbe of the Year 2023

Bacillus subtilis is a multi-talent - equally important for human and animal health as well as for industry.

Pflanzenbasierte Fleischalternativen sind beliebt.
The texture of plant-based meat alternatives is sometimes perceived as unpleasant.

Sensory improvement of meat alternatives

Improving the taste and consistency of plant-based meat substitutes is the focus of a new research partnership between Holzminden-based Symrise AG and Wageningen University in the Netherlands.

Plätzchen und Nüsse mit Tannenzweig
Many cookies contain exotic spices such as vanilla and pepper.

Christmas spices from the indoor farm

Exotic spices are key to baking cookies. But instead of coming from India, vanilla and pepper could soon come from domestic indoor farms.

Mann in Laborkittel vor einer Pflanze mit zwei Kohlweißlingen
Yu Okamura observes mating cabbage white butterflies.

How caterpillars deactivate the defense of cabbage plants

Researchers have discovered how the cabbage white butterfly detoxifies toxic mustard oils from its food source.