According to estimates, more than 900 million tons of residual biomass are produced throughout the European Union every year. Only a small proportion of this is recycled and fermented in biogas plants, for example. The majority, around 98%, ends up in, incineration plants or landfill sites. But this is now set to change.

Whether in the construction of buildings, the extraction and transportation of raw materials or the production of building materials such as concrete, the construction industry produces enormous amounts of greenhouse gases and, according to the Federal Environment Agency, consumes more than 70% of all raw materials mined in Germany. To conserve resources and the environment in equal measure, renewable building materials such as wood, straw and hemp are becoming increasingly important.

Rice is one of the most important staple foods in the world and is grown in many sub-Saharan African countries, among others. However, rice production in the region is threatened by the Rice Yellow Mottle Virus (RYMV). It leads to considerable crop failures, which can threaten the livelihoods of small farmers in particular.

Whether waste paper, cereal straw, food waste or sewage sludge: the use of residual and waste materials to manufacture new bio-based products is a cornerstone of the bioeconomy strategy and a precursor to a sustainable and resource-conserving economy. But which biomasses are available, which can be used for material or energy purposes and in what quantities are they available? Answers can be found in the resource database of the German Biomass Research Center (DBFZ). Researchers at the DBFZ have now revised the online platform.

An international study from 2022 shows that wetlands such as peatlands can store five times more carbon per square meter than forests and even 500 times more than the oceans. In Germany, peatlands have been drained in recent decades in order to be able to use the land for agriculture. This has not only destroyed the habitat of many plants and animals, but also an important CO₂ reservoir.

Soils are a vital resource and indispensable for ecosystems, climate and people. They not only store large amounts of carbon and water, but also provide plants with nutrients and people with food. However, industrial agriculture and the consequences of the climate crisis are putting soils under increasing pressure. According to a recent study, more than a third of agricultural land worldwide is degraded, in the European Union even more than 60%.

Microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi can be found everywhere. These microscopic creatures do not only live on human skin or on plants and animals. They can also be found in soil and water. As masters of substance conversion, they are not only indispensable helpers in the production of foods such as cheese, beer or wine. With their special metabolism, they can also produce new substances from organic compounds and are therefore important tools for bioeconomic change.

Nitrogen is an important nutrient for all living things. Our atmosphere is full of it, but the only living organisms that can bind and use this nitrogen directly are some microorganisms. They use certain enzymes called nitrogenases to do this. But researchers are also interested in these enzymes for a second reason: nitrogenases can bind carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide and form methane or ethylene from them. This turns problematic waste materials into valuable chemical resources.

They are small, light and long-lasting and therefore extremely popular: lithium-ion batteries. These powerful energy sources are not only found in many electronic devices such as cell phones, laptops and digital cameras. The automotive industry also mostly relies on lithium-ion batteries for the production of electric cars. The problem is that lithium is only available in limited quantities and has to be imported. Mining the raw material is also often problematic for both people and the environment.

The state government of North Rhine-Westphalia wants to further strengthen its already extensive activities in the bio-based economy by establishing a Bioeconomy Council. "In North Rhine-Westphalia, we have long recognized the enormous potential of the bioeconomy for competitive, sustainable companies and start-ups and are ambitiously driving forward the expansion of a bio-based economy. By appointing the Bioeconomy Council, the state government is implementing an important project from the coalition agreement.