Innovations

1) Plasma, catalysators and membranes are coupled for new synthesis processes to offer sutainable and economic processes for the high amount of small and medium scaled bio material processing plants in our region. Therewith, new catalytic and plasma processes are merged for an efficient molecule dissoziation, whereas non-thermal plasma methods have to be adapted for higher pressures and catalytic processes for lower temperatures. Both processes are combined with membrane technology for the seperation of the process products, which offers technical and economic solutions for small sized plants and open new routes for the synthesis of materials.

2) New membrane materials and technology are investigated for an efficient seperation of gases to enable high throughput, high selectivity (gas purity), stability and life-time as well as small sensibility against gas impurities and a low energy consumption. Therewith, new plasma methods are used to produce membranes and to increase the characteristics of the membranes.

3) New methods on the base of plasma technology are investigated for small and medium scaled bio material processing plants e.g. to increase the biogas yield during the fermentation of green residual materials. Plasma technology enables an efficient coupling of energy and heat of renewable energy into the processes instead traditional fossile fuel consuming ones.

4) The material and energy flows of these new and the established processes will be combined in new ways to increase the efficiency of the whole process chains.

Solution paths

As part of the overall strategy to establish a regional biorefinery laboratory and a green model region, our alliance is pursuing four solution paths along which the above-mentioned innovation approaches will be rolled out as funding projects:

The production of green methanol out of green CO2-source (z.B. biogas , sewage- und alkohol-fermentation plants) in the region of the alliance is focus of this solution path. Methanol as liquid valuable product or energy carrier with a high comparable energy density offers the potential in a wide field of applications where other renewable energier carrier (hydrogen, batteries) up to now could not be useed due to the high volume or weight required (e.g. farming, heavy goods vehicle traffic, aviation)...MORE

During biomass proecessing a lot of green residual waste with a high water content is produced. The disposal often lead to a larger storage and stransport effort. In our alliance region a lot of biogas plants exits, which search for reasonable solutions of residual waste utilization. We investigate if prepared residual waste can be used for a slag bath gasification process ro produce syngas...MORE

The production and utilization of biogas is currently focused on electric power production by the german renewable energy act over a 20 years limited period. This power production lead also to CO2 emissions. Innovative technologies can be used to avoid the emissions and also creat new business cases. The production of highly pure methane and the seperation of CO2 offer the usage of the existing gas net and a procution of green valuable materials and energy carriers...MORE

Aim of our alliance is to connect the innovative activities in our regional economy by supporting the merging sustainable regional and and interregional economy. We want to show synergies and remove barriers. Thereby, we highlight existing and coming regulations and also shape them by our activities. By this, we open new market opportunities along the value-added chain of green valuable materials and energy carriers...MORE

Excursion

Green methanol – CH3OH:
The production of green methanol can be done out of green CO2 or syngas from green residual materials by using renewable energies or green hydrogen. Green methanol can replace fossile valuable products and energy carriers, can be processed in central facilities to certified fuels like kerosene or can be used as resource for the chemistry sector. A huge market is predicted by different studies and experts and can lead to an establishment of new industry sectors in our alliance region

Green methane – CH4:
A a main part of biogas, green methane is produced by fermentation of biomass. Green methane can be transported and stord by the existing gas net with an appropriate purity. By the usage of fossile methane to produce methanol, one of the most used chemical world wide, a lot of technical and regulatory requirements are already given. Green methane in an appropriate purity can be used as green Liquified Natural Gas (Green LNG) as energy carrier for the heavy goods vehicle traffic and public transportation.

Required volume and temperature for different green energy carriers in liquid state for an energy of 1 kWh each:

Hydrogen
0.42 L

Ammonia
0.27 L

Methanol
0.23 L

Methane
0.17 L