sensible solutions

Woody plant residues and fruit residues can be used separately or together for the production of bio-ethanol. In many countries around the world, research is being carried out into the production of ethanol from biomass , also in order to become independent of petroleum.

Examples:

Grape marc: In France, a bus runs on the Sprit ED95 , which consists of 95 percent bioethanol produced by Raisinor France Alcools from the grape marc of Bordeaux wine. The fuel ensures 85 percent fewer CO2 emissions, 50 percent fewer nitrogen oxides and 70 percent fewer particles (fine dust). 1,000 vehicles could be supplied with the ethanol from grape pomace from the Bordeaux growing region.

Apple pomace: The production of apple juice in Germany produces around 3000,000 tons of apple pomace, which has so far been used primarily as animal feed in pig fattening. But apple pomace can also be used to produce bioethanol. Using an alternative enzyme complex, researchers at the Bergakademie Freiburg have developed a process for splitting the long-chain sugar molecules into simple sugars, fermenting them with yeast and distilling the aqueous solution into ethanol.

From avocado skins and seeds: In Mexico, with the participation of universities from Chile, Brazil, Portugal, Spain and England and with the support of a grant from the European Union, research is being carried out into the skins and seeds of Avocados , which make up about 45% of the total harvest of almost two million tons of fruit in Mexico alone, to be used as biofuels.

From cheese waste: Sachsenmilch , part of the Müller group of companies, has built a plant in Leppersdorf that is unique in the world to produce biofuel from cheese -making waste. The plant should be able to produce ten million liters of bioethanol.

Grape pomace can also be used to make bio-diesel.

New biocombustible partir de residuos de la production de vino (agenciasinc.es)

El Vino y el Futuro Combustible Alternative | OBS Business School

PLimC. What sounds cryptic is a green all-rounder. Because PLimC describes a bio-based plastic that is obtained from orange peels .

The natural substance limonene is extracted from these, which in turn is oxidized and then combined with carbon dioxide. This can then be used to produce inexpensive, environmentally friendly materials for various industrial applications.

PLimC is a polycarbonate resulting from the synthesis of limonene oxide with carbon dioxide. In contrast to conventional polycarbonates, PLimC does not contain the harmful substance bisphenol A.

Antibacterial and biodegradable
In addition, the bio-based plastic has a number of properties that make it extremely interesting for industrial applications: it is hard, extremely heat-resistant, transparent and is therefore particularly suitable as a material for coatings such as antimicrobial polymers that are able to prevent E .Coli bacteria to prevent.

If these are used for containers in medical care and nursing, they can significantly reduce the risk of infection, not least in hospitals. But they are just as interesting as a basis for plastic implants, which should not pose any risk of inflammation.

Another application example are water-soluble polymers. If these were used for bottles, bags and containers, the pollution of the oceans could be actively prevented because they break down into ecologically harmless components.

ecological cycle
In Italy, the Italian design studio Carlo Ratti Associati (CRA) has founded a juice bar that has turned this eco-friendly principle into a business model. Because as healthy and refreshing as freshly squeezed juice is, it also produces a lot of waste, namely orange peel and disposable plastic cups in which the juice is often served.

In “Feel the Peel” you solve the problem directly. Via a spiral on the roof, over 1,000 oranges are processed into juice and sold on site one by one. The squeezed peels are then placed in a container and left to dry. The new bio-based plastic is produced from the dried and grated peel together with polylactide (PLA), from which plastic cups are printed using a 3D printer, in which the orange juice is then sold. (Photo: Markus-Mainka-AdobeStock)

In 2006, the Karlsruhe Research Center in the Helmholz Society won the international “BlueSky Award” from the UN organization UNIDO on the subject of “New Technologies for the Use of Regenerative Energy Sources” for its “bioliq” (biomass to liquid) process for producing fuel from biomass.

It is a two-stage fuel production from biological residues such as straw or wood. The biomass is not gasified directly, but first processed by pyrolysis into a bioslurry , a kind of paste that has a higher energy density and can be transported more easily.

In the second stage, the bioslurry is then converted into synthesis gas in an entrained flow gasifier and later processed into fuel. 150 liters of fuel can be obtained from one ton of bioslurry. The plant is with 1st and 2nd stage in operation since 2008 and was funded by the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMLV).

The special thing is the decentralized-central approach. Decentralized pyrolysis – centralized gasification and synthesis fuel production. This solves the logistics problem of the voluminous but low-energy biomass. The wine cooperatives have already declared their interest. In Baden-Württemberg alone, there are 200,000 to 250,000 tons of pruning every year.

Here is the research report.

Order at the place of origin, enjoy at the destination: That is the motto of CrowdFarming , a platform against food waste. It was founded by young farmers with the aim of preventing food waste and giving farmers planning and price certainty, independent of the intermediate trade.

Alternative cultivation methods that do not use weed killers or burns are part of the young farmers’ self-image.

In cooperation with the University of Valencia, the EU-funded project lifelowcarbonfeed is currently running, in which shrub cuttings are used as goat feed.