Environmental technology

European Forest Institute opens its doors in Bonn

European forests have to accommodate a multitude of requirements: they have to be a resource provider as well as a nearby recreational area. At the same time forests also need to be more and more resilient in the face of extreme weather occurrences. This resilience will be the focus of the new office of the European Forest Institute (EFI) in Bonn. The official inauguration with Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture Christian Schmidt at the UN campus in Bonn took place on August 29.

Old wood useful for more than firewood

Wood is a very versatile material that can be reused multiple times. However, such recycling or cascade utilisation is very rare in Europe. In Germany, old wood is mostly used for energy generation and is thus simply burnt instead of using it for instance as building material. 15 project partners from five different countries banned together in the EU project CaReWood (Cascading Recovered Wood) to improve resource efficiency by recycling used wood via cascade utilisation.

Frankfurt: opening of new Green Finance Cluster

Innovations that advance a sustainable economy are not only difficult in their technical realisation, but also require financial support. In order to bring them to the market, oftentimes large investments become necessary. The aim of the new Green Finance Cluster in Frankfurt, which was opened recently, will be to connect innovations and funding possibilities. In the middle of November the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in Hessen, Tarek Al-Wazir said: “A focus on sustainability is indispensable for the financial sector.

Biofuels: it’s all in the milk

At first glance, the evergreen Caper Spurge (Euphorbia lathyris) is a less-than-impressive plant. Nevertheless, this herb does indeed pack some punch: the seeds contain 40-50 percent fatty oil. This abundantly flowing ‘latex’ also contains 8-12 percent volatile unsaturated hydrocarbons known as terpenes. What as really attracting the interest of scientists is the terpenes that take the form of energy-rich ‘triterpenoids’. This is because they represent a possible additive for biofuels.

Making methanol from biomass

Methanol is one of the chemical industry’s most important source materials. It is colourless, flammable and smells of alcohol, and the starting point for manufacturing paints and varnishes as well as fuel. In 2015, the global demand for methanol was about 65 million tonnes. However, this compound of carbon monoxide, water and oxygen is produced mainly from finite resources such as mineral oil, natural gas or coal.

Tracking water lice with a DNA check

Drinking water is a natural product and is comprised of around 80% groundwater and spring water. Not surprisingly, the quality requirements for drinking water are extremely high. To this end, intricate analyses provide information on water quality and reveal whether the infrastructure of the water system is in proper working order. For water utility companies, it is also becoming increasingly important to maintain precise knowledge of their water catchment areas so that the respective protected areas can be exactly defined and demarcated.

EIO (2017): Policies and Practices for Eco-Innovation Uptake and Circular Economy Transition

The new 2016 report of the Eco-Innovation Observatory of the European Commission discusses the role of policy for eco-innovation in the circular economy transition. It looks at the present framework conditions fostered by European policies and how the circular economy concept is being embedded in a current policy context at the EU level and in the Member States. It also discusses the bottom-up and top-down circular economy challenges.

Making disposable nappies compostable

Nappies of renewable raw materials that are completely biodegradable: That is the aim that Dominik Franck is pursuing with his 'Fairwindel' company. 'Inspired' by his daughter's mountain of nappies, the chemist has developed a new type of nappy partly consisting of potato starch and maize. The 'Fairwindel' company, managed by Franck together with his wife in Mühlenbeck near Berlin, was commended in 2015 as a sustainability startup.

3D printing with bioplastics

Simply dispose of cups, toys or shoes by throwing them onto the compost heap: That is what Thorsten Perl had in mind when developing his new 3D printer material. Together with his business partner Brian Cotty and their BioInspirations start-up based in the German city Eberswalde, the inventor of this sustainable printing filament is gaining enthusiasts for 'WillowFlex', and not just amongst 3D printer fans.

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