Bioeconomy News

Green algae cause biofilms that wreak havoc for bioreactors and other structures. Göttingen-based researchers found that red light hinders surface adhesions.

Researchers at Fraunhofer WKI developed new technologies to recycle wood without diminishing its quality.

Scientists from Gatersleben helped decipher the genome sequence of the pearl millet, a drought resistant crop plant that grows even on nutrient-deficient soil.

Leipzig-based researchers have shown that the combination of microbial and electrochemical conversion of biomass can yield valuable products such as fuel.

Algae fix carbon dioxide more efficiently than land plants. An international research team deciphered the surprisingly liquid mechanisms behind it.

Swiss chemical company Clariant and Slovakian bioethanol specialist Enviral announce first license agreement on Sunliquid Cellulosic Ethanol Technology.

What will the industry of tomorrow look like? 350 experts discussed future directions during the second international bioeconomy conference in Stuttgart.

As part of its sustainability initiative “ForwardFarming”, Bayer CropScience opened its second role model farm - this time in Nauen, just outside of Berlin.

Insects could offer an alternative protein source for food, feed, or cosmetics. International experts discussed recent trends during the INSECTA conference in Berlin.

KIT researchers are testing fungi roots as an alternative and sustainable building material. They are presenting a “MycoTree“ made of fungi and bamboo at the Biennale in Seoul.

The new EFI office in Bonn has become operational. Above all experts will focus on the resiliency of European forests and an international knowledge exchange.

Scientists from China and Germany trace the origin of the huge sweet potato genome back to a crossbreeding between two ancestors 50,000 years ago.

Among the winners of the German Packaging Awards 2017 are three manufacturers that have developed the best packaging in the category of "sustainability".

Japanese company Denka pays €75 million to acquire German plant biotech Icon Genetics. The Halle-based company produces therapeutic proteins in plants.

Circular economy in Germany is not living up to its potential according to an analysis published by the Wuppertal Institute.

Researchers developed a new non-toxic coating for underwater surfaces that prevents mussels and other organisms from sticking to them and damaging them.

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute in Freising developed a new technique to brew a refreshing sports drink made of the seeds of sweet lupins.

A global study by 62 scientists found that drought-induced tree death is based on their mechanistic inability to suck in water with their roots.

Rice blight is a plant disease causing severe harvest losses in Asia. A consortium led by German researchers is now funded with US$6 million by the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation.

Dodder, a parasitic vine, transfers warning signals from one host-plant to another if one of them is attacked by herbivores.

Researchers in Oldenburg found that the health of an ecosystem is not directly related to how many species inhabit it.

The German industrial enzyme specialist evoxx has become part of global biotech company Advanced Enzyme Technologies Limited.

How is water transported in the soil as well as through roots of plants? Using 3D neutron imaging, a team of researchers have visualized the waters path to the lupine roots.

The European Commission has launched a Bioeconomy Knowledge Centre that provides scientific data and background information to facilitate informed policy decisions.

The Technical University in Munich is expanding its Straubing site: The new campus will focus on industrial biotechnology and bioeconomy.

Scientists in Würzburg and Munich have developed innovative molecular building blocks to create smart windows and self-recycling packaging.

Researchers of the University of Freiburg have deciphered the 3D structure of an enzyme that might be used for the biotechnological production of fertilizers and fuels.

For the first time the distribution and utilisation of the ubiquitous energy currency ATP was visualised in living plants. This may aid future plant breeding schemes.

The specialty chemicals company Evonik aims to invest €100 million in digitalisation. The company will use the artificial intelligence capacities of IBM's supercomputer „Watson“.

Using zeolite catalysts, Munich-based chemists have managed to reduce temperature and energy requirements to efficiently turn waste into biofuels.

A new study has analysed the wood pellet market in more than thirty countries. The study was published by the German Centre for Biomass Research.

A closed-loop greenhouse using Aeroponics to grow vegetables will be tested in Antarctica by German scientists. The set-up of the test run was recently presented to the public.

A team including researchers from Gatersleben and Munich has published the genome sequence of Wild Emmer wheat. It is the wild form of nearly all the domesticated wheat in the world.

Bayer aims to further build its Animal Health sector by investing €92 million in its production site in Kiel.

Pesticides such as neonicotinoids damage bee health and survival. This is only one result of three remarkable field trial studies.

Both the Silver and the Douglas fir are more tolerant to drought than the Norway spruce, researchers from Freiburg found out by studying hundreds of trees across the black forest.

This year's Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting at Lake Constance covers topics such as the future of chemistry, climate change and the trust in scientific data.

The updated roadmap of the European Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) includes new sectors and focuses on multi-value-chain approaches.

A participatory ecological experiment involving anglers and scientists has resulted in a more sustainable management of freshwater fisheries ressources.

Researchers from Kaiserslautern, Bochum, and Rostock modified biodiesel. The new product can now be used for conventional engines without further dilution.

Plant molecular biolologists from Gatersleben and Kaiserslautern use the CRISPR-Cas system to visualise genomic sections and to decipher their functions. 

Evonik and the Taiwanese company Sungo team up to create a drinking bottle made from more than 50 percent renewable raw materials, such as palm kernel and coconut oil.

Brazilian scientist Marcelo Tabarelli received the Humboldt Research Award by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. He investigates how mankind affects biodiversity in rainforests.

Advances in biotechnology have paved the way for resurrection biology. But naming the “new-old” species might be tricky according to German law experts.

German engineers transform biowaste into high quality biocoal. In a second step syngas is generated to produce electricity.

The viral disease rhizomania is a severe sugar beet pest. In Danish relatives of beets researchers have identified a powerful resistance gene.

Size-selective fishing influences genetic traits of fishes within only a few generations. This is the result of a long-term experiment of German und Finish evolutionary biologists.

The annual EU Green Week 2017 hosted the Green Awards in Brussels. Innovations that turn bakery waste into biofilms and separate salt from water were awarded.

The role of soils within the context of the Sustainable Development Goals was discussed during the Global Soil Week. Roughly 300 experts met in Berlin for this conference. 

Researchers at Hohenheim University deciphered the origin of differing behaviours between honey bees. Specific chromosomal structures define how they experience their surroundings.

A recycled bag produced in a marine animal design: Therewith a german-indonesian researcher initiative aims to fight against plastic waste. Now they started a crowdfunding campaign.  

Growing fresh herbs in a smart greenhouse in your kitchen: Munich-based startup Agrilution receives millions from investors Osram and Tengelmann.

A billion-dollar merger is occuring in the chemical sector: Clariant is planning to merge with US company Huntsman. Their headquarters will be in Switzerland.

The Hamburg-based startup Bio-lutions uses fibres from agricultural plant waste to manufacture packaging materials. They won the award at a conference on bio-based materials in Cologne.

The sixth International Bioeconomy Conference in Halle put a spotlight on novel innovations for a bio-based economy. This year's partner country was France.

As part of their initiative Bayer ForwardFarming the pharma company is now funding their fifth sustainable farm – this time in the Netherlands.

Since they are often water-repellent, removing bacterial biofilms is very difficult. Munich-based researchers found out how these biofilms repel water by mimicking plants.

A body of research has shown the negative consequences of microplastics for aqueous life. Now, a seminal paper that had demonstrated behavioural changes in fish was retracted.

The global cultivation area of GMO crops is growing, but Europe and especially Germany remain sceptical regarding the usage of GMOs.

The consumption of bioethanol as part of the petrol market has increased slightly in Germany. In 2016 1.2 million tonnes of bio-based ethanol has been added to fuels.