WP 2: Innovative solutions for the process environment
Innovative biotechnologies are driven by resource efficiencies and waste minimization. At the transition from applied research to application, developing technical solutions to implement sustainable (bio)technological processes and evaluating their eco-efficiency are key challenges. One goal is to establish principles of circular economy via the development of innovative processes for resource provision and treating waste – municipally, industrially, and agriculturally generated as well as from mine tailings – to recycle valuable organic or inorganic products while eliminating harmful substances. Further activities involve down-stream processing, microbial resource management strategies, and optimizing process-related energy demands, assisted by innovative inorganic and organic analytical techniques (link to
Work Package 3
). Tailored approaches to life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) will be used to investigate and verify the eco-efficiencies of processes. Furthermore, geo-technological and technical chemistry approaches for storage and upgrading of energy and gas will be examined including assessment of ecological risks, sustainability, technical feasibility, and maintenance of the infrastructure.
Guiding questions
- How to implement geo-technological and technical chemistry concepts related to underground energy storage and gas upgrading considering the interference of associated geo-microbial processes?
- How to treat waste, wastewater, or tailings for sustainable recovery of specific metals, valuable organics (e.g., acids, lipids, pigments), phosphorous, nitrogen, or energy carriers?
- How to assess new biotechnological processes and products at the transition from applied research to application in order to ascertain their added-value to the bio-economy?