Producing food on agricultural land while simultaneously generating electricity – this concept is called agri-photovoltaics. This dossier sheds light on the potential of agri-PV for climate protection and the bioeconomy, and it depicts some approaches that are being researched and tested in Germany.
Vanillin is arguably the most important flavoring in the world. The bio-based economy can contribute in various ways to the sustainable, reliable and high-quality supply of vanillin. This dossier describes indoor farming methods for vanilla cultivation and highlights biotechnological and chemical approaches on the way to vanilla flavoring.
In recent years, AI technologies have revolutionized protein research and the possibilities for producing tailor-made protein molecules. This dossier highlights how AI-based tools are opening up new avenues for research and innovation.
Plant roots are hotspots of the soil ecosystem and an important starting point for arable farming and soil management. The interaction between plant roots and their immediate environment is a key biological process that researchers want to better understand and utilise in order to make agriculture more sustainable.
Their great diversity and broad food spectrum make insects a unique resource for the bioeconomy. This in-depth report sheds light on how humans utilise insects and the natural products they produce and highlights the research into innovative applications.
Space is an extraordinary and fascinating environment. Biobased innovations can help open up the universe as a space suitable for living. At the same time, satellites and other innovations in space research help to further develop the bioeconomy on Earth.
Cell-free systems dispense with the use of living cells in biotechnological production. Instead, all biochemical components necessary for the biosynthesis of molecules are combined in one reaction vessel. This dossier highlights different cell-free approaches and presents important applications.
3D printing has become a key technology in increasingly digitized industrial production. This dossier discusses the potential of 3D printing for the manufacture of bio-based products in food production, materials engineering and medicine.
Organic residual and waste streams have considerable but often untapped potential as a resource for a sustainable bioeconomy. This dossier presents innovative research approaches to waste utilization.
Lignin is one of the biopolymers that occur most frequently in nature. Nevertheless, the potential of this complex molecule is far from being exploited - today, lignin is mostly burned. This dossier provides a concise overview of research and development projects that are opening up new applications for lignin.
Producing new, high-quality plastics from plastic waste - not only chemistry but also biotechnology offers promising recycling approaches for this. This dossier explores how enzymes help degrade polymers and how bio-based plastics can be optimized for the circular economy.
New molecular tools, modern bioprocessing technology and powerful IT are enabling the biotechnology industry to tailor-make biomolecules with interesting properties. This dossier presents the emerging field of precision fermentation.
Green hydrogen is considered a crucial element of the energy transition. So far, the gas has been produced mainly by electrolysis, a process that consumes considerable amounts of electricity. However, there are promising bio-based approaches to hydrogen production in which algae and bacteria play an important role. This dossier presents current research approaches.
On the way to a biobased and climate-neutral economy, new value chains are emerging. With the Bioeconomy Innovation Spaces ("Innovationsräume Bioökonomie"), the Federal Ministry of Education and Research is funding four large networks that aim to bring innovative approaches for the biobased economy into application more quickly. A portrait of the four Bioeconomy Innovation Spaces.
Vegetarian and vegan alternatives to sausage and meat are booming and have hit the middle of society. This dossier looks at the plant-based alternatives. It presents the most important resources and meat substitute products, market development, economic players and relevant funding projects.
The Global Bioeconomy Summit (GBS) is the leading international forum on the biobased economy. The third edition of the conference took place in mid-November 2020 as a digital event. This report summarizes the most important sessions of the plenary program.
Biobased economies are an important instrument for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. According to the German government's National Bioeconomy Strategy, biobased economies can contribute in particular to achieving eleven of the 17 SDGs. They are presented in more detail in this dossier.
Paving the way for the next generation of biotechnological processes: Ten years ago, the Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) launched the "Biotechnology 2020+" initiative together with major research organisations and universities. A lot has happened since: In the course of numerous congresses, expert discussions and more than a hundred funding projects, players in Germany have set the technological course for the industrial biotechnology of the future. A compact review.
In Germany, almost 800 research institutions in the natural sciences and humanities deal with the bioeconomy. Every two years, biookonomie.de contacts these research institutes and asks them about their priorities regarding R&D, their raw materials, industrial applications, financing and number of employees. In addition to the data collected, this year six bioeconomy experts were interviewed about their assessments of the local research landscape.
In Germany, almost 800 research institutions in the natural sciences and humanities deal with the bioeconomy. Every two years, biookonomie.de contacts these research institutes and asks them about their priorities regarding R&D, their raw materials, industrial applications, financing and number of employees. In addition to the data collected, this year six bioeconomy experts were interviewed about their assessments of the local research landscape.
