Startseite

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Acker mit grünem Getreide, daneben eine Baumreihe.

In-depth report

Agroforestry - cultivating woody plants on the field

Agroforestry systems combine the cultivation of arable crops with the use of woody plants. This dossier presents various concepts and current agroforestry projects and sheds light on how they can be used to make agriculture more sustainable.

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In-depth report

Digital twins in the bioeconomy

A digital twin is a virtual representation of a physical object or system that is updated in real time with data from the real world or from simulation runs. This short report explains how digital twins work and how they are used in the bioeconomy.

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EU-Förderung für die Bioökonomie im Überblick

In-depth report

EU Research funding for the bioeconomy

Through the Horizon Europe framework program, the European Union supports researchers from academia and industry in realizing their ideas. How can bioeconomy researchers benefit from this attractive EU funding? This dossier offers a compact overview of the wide range of funding formats and explains where interested parties can get help with their application.

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Eine Agri-Photovoltaik-Anlage in einer Apfelplantage

In-depth report

Agri-photovoltaics – harvesting energy and crops

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.

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Preview Bioökonomie-Ausstellung

Bioeconomy Exhibition

The bioeconomy has rapidly developed in recent years. What has been accomplished in the last five years alone is truly impressive: Many bioeconomy products have become bestsellers. Bio-based start-ups have grown into medium-sized companies. And established, traditional industrial companies are integrating bio-based production steps into their existing structures.

The latest from the bioeconomy

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Serumflasche mit Clostridium thermocellum, welches mit Filterpapier als Kohlenstoffquelle wächst. Die Gelbe Affinitätssubstanz YAS bindet an Zellulose. Das Filterpapier wird während des Wachstums verbraucht.

How pigments convert plant biomass

Jena researchers have elucidated the molecular structure of the so-called Yellow Affinity Substance (YAS) and provide new insights into how the yellow pigments produced by the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium thermocellum convert cellulose into sugar.

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Pflaumen am Baum

New bacterial natural substances discovered

By analysing the genetic material of the plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae, researchers in Jena have identified two new families of natural substances that could be of interest for agriculture and pharmaceutical research.

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Die Quinoa-Felder der kleinbäuerlichen Gemeinschaften liegen direkt am Ufer des Titicacasees.

Climate-resilient quinoa cultivated

With the help of artificial intelligence (AI), an international research team, including the University of Hohenheim, was able to develop three climate-adapted quinoa varieties for the Peruvian highlands.

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Künstlerische Darstellung des Inneren eines Cyanobakteriums. Hier konzentrieren Kondensate (Kugeln im Bild) Enzyme, die im Rahmen der Photosynthese CO2 fixieren.

Photosynthesis research for efficient carbon capture

Two newly founded research groups at the Max Planck Society are developing more efficient methods of photosynthesis to break down and bind CO2 with the help of sunlight.

Interviews

 Dr. rer. nat. Monika Konarzycka-Bessler  Gruppenleiterin Single Cell Protein

‘We use bacterial strains for protein production’

In the “Single Cell Protein” working group, a team led by Monika Konarzycka-Bessler is looking for bacterial strains that utilise CO2 as a source of raw materials for the production of proteins used in the food industry.

Worldwide strategies

The bioeconomy is gaining ground all over the world. A large number of countries have now adopted bioeconomy strategies - with various focus areas. You can find them in the following overview.

Read more

In the spotlight

Bioeconomy inside

Brot mit Frischkäse und Tomaten

Cheese alternative

For many, cheese is a staple – enjoyed with bread, pasta, or on its own at the end of a meal. For centuries, it has been a cornerstone of culinary traditions around the world.

What was the per capita cheese consumption in 2024?

That was the per capita consumption in 2021.

One kilogram more than in 2023.

Wandregal aus Nussbaumholz kombiniert mit natürlichen Blüten, Moos oder Heu.

Furniture coating

Wooden furniture is typically coated in lacquer, varnish or plastic. Natural alternatives, such as oil or wax, are more environmentally friendly, but there are other options too.

How many pieces of furniture does the average household in Germany own?

Correct! According to studies, there are over 200 individual pieces of furniture.

That's wrong.

Marinierte Stücke vegan

Meat substitute

More and more people are looking not only for a healthy diet, but also a plant-based one. Yet there is no need to give up eating meat - an alternative comes from Switzerland.

How many tonnes of solid waste in the form of spent grains can be produced per 1,000 tonnes of beer?

Wrong!

Correct!

Verschiedene beschichtete Lebensmittelverpackungen.

Protective lacquer

An Italian start-up is utilizing waste from tomato processing to develop an eco-friendly alternative to conventional packaging coatings. A bio-resin is extracted from tomato peels that is free of BPA and biodegradable.

What percentage of tomatoes grown in the EU come from Italy?

Correct! Italy alone contributes nearly 40% of the EU's total tomato production.

No, it is more.

orangefarbener Hocker aus Obstschalen

Stool

Orange peel, lemon peel and coffee grounds. What do these elements have in common? They are not necessarily a case for the organic waste bin, but can be reprocessed into practical everyday helpers and beautiful home accessories.

How many tonnes of food waste (edible and non-edible) are produced in Germany every year?

That's wrong. It is almost double the amount.

That is correct.