Fraunhofer Chile and DBFZ intensify cooperation on organic waste to energy research

Since 2012 the DBFZ operates a research biogas plant on the site of the research centre. The knowledge generated there may help Chilean biogas plant operators to improve the efficiency of their operations. In addition, a new technology for the conversion of green biowaste, hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) has been developed by DBFZ in collaboration with the public energy supplier of the City of Halle.

This technology can offer municipalities sustainable ways of dealing with green biowaste. FCR-CSB is now looking for partners for demonstration plants of this technology in Chile.

Lately, the delegates from FCR-CSB and scientists from DBFZ held a series of meetings in Leipzig, Germany, as part of the concluding activities under the common project entitled “Development of a biorefinery concept for Chile”. This project started in 2011, and its goal was to identify possibilities for collaboration in the fields of energetic use of residues and sustainable biofuel production.

The project was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Chilean National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research agency, CONICYT.

During the execution of the project, the team from both institutions actively exchanged knowledge about bioenergy and biorefinery issues in both countries and leveraged information through a series of site visits in Chile and Germany, which included visits to companies and representatives from the Chilean productive sector, and different German R&D institutions.

The project resulted in the construction of a strong new network, which has already produced five project proposals for various public funding agencies in both countries together with a series of future projects under discussion. The experience of the research cluster “Spitzencluster BioEconomy” forms the basis “of a public private partnership in the Saxony region, which could form the basis of similar developments to stimulate the bioeconomy in Chile” comments Wolfgang Schuch, General Manager of FRC-CSB.

About Fraunhofer Chile Research – Center for Systems Biotechnology
Fraunhofer Chile Research Foundation (FCR) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft of Germany. Its aim is to Improve Industrial competitiveness through applied research. The Center for Systems Biotechnology is the first research activity of the Foundation and is supported by InnovaChile under a program created by the Corporation for the Promotion of Production (CORFO) whose objective is the establishment of International Centers of Excellence and promotion of international joint research and development.

About DBFZ
The work of DBFZ is centered on politically relevant issues, such as how the limited availability of biomass resources can contribute in the most efficient and sustainable manner to existing, as well as future energy system. The DBFZ monitors and evaluates the most promising fields of application for bioenergy in theory and practice, supported through various collaborative research projects, carried at both national and international level, with partners and stakeholders ranging from industry, academia and various scientific research associations.

Press Contact:
Paul Trainer
Press- and Public Relations Department
Phone: +49 (0)341 2434-437
E-Mail: paul.trainer(at)dbfz(dot)de

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