topic Hightech Strategy

Using Renewable Resources for Industry

Industrial biotechnology - also known as "white biotechnology" - places an emphasis on the systematic application of modern biotechnology for the sustainable production and processing of chemicals, materials and fuels. This involves the application of a "natural toolbox" of enzymes and microorganisms: Today, conventional chemical production processes are being increasingly replaced by biotechnological methods; basic and fine chemicals from plant materials, biopolymers as a substitute for plastic, and sustainable biofuels are among the most innovative products. The field of industrial biotechnology is also set to develop new products and processes for industries such as food, cosmetics, paper, pulp, textile and leather, as well as other sectors. The film "Industrial Biotechnology - New paths for the chemical industry" (in German only) and the brochure "White Biotechnology - Opportunities for new products and environmentally friendly processes" (in German only) provide insights into current developments.

The utilization of renewable resources for industrial production processes is one of the five action areas of the National Research Strategy Bioeconomy 2030, whereby implementation incorporates the "Renewable Resources" programme from the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV) and the funding of industrial biotechnology from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The BMBF is providing an annual €30 million for the promotion of research and development in industrial biotechnology.

The future funding strategy of the BMBF takes two lines of action: Firstly, the acceleration of adoption of established biotechnological processes in the economy and a corresponding transition to a bio-based economy. With this objective in mind, the "Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Initiative" was launched in 2011. The BMBF is likewise committed to the development of biorefinery concepts, and support is being provided to international cooperations via the ERA-NET Industrial Biotechnology. Secondly, the foundations for the biotechnological production processes of the future - going beyond current fermentation or biocatalytic processes - are already being laid today. To this end, the long-term strategy process "Next Generation of Biotechnological Procedures - Biotechnology 2020+" was launched in 2010 together with research organisations and universities.

Current funding builds on the experience of earlier support measures: In the four selection rounds of 'Sustainable Bioproduction' (2000-2004), 30 technical projects and two accompanying projects were provided with a total of 30 million euros in funding. In 2007, five clusters qualified for funding totalling 60 million euros over a period of five years through the cluster competition BioIndustrie2021. Moreover, the genome research into microorganisms that has been funded since 2001 has provided fundamental knowledge and methods for industrial biotechnology. In 2007, a special funding program was launched to provide momentum to the development of new purification technologies.