Erection of a Biosolar Center in Köthen, Germany

Cooperation between the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences and GICON

On 3 March 2011, the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences in Köthen, Saxony Anhalt, and GICON signed a cooperation agreement for the erection of a biosolar center. Biosolar technology encompasses technologies for generation of microalgal biomass through the use of photobioreactors which are, to the greatest extent possible, carbon neutral and do not represent competition to the use of agricultural lands for food production.   

Algae are the fastest growing plants on the planet.  They absorb CO₂ with an extremely high effectiveness and convert it into biomass.

The accrued biomass can be used in a variety of ways, incl. for recycling as a raw material in the pharmaceutical industry and the cosmetic industry, as a fuel or as a raw material for the production of oils and gases, or as a nutritional supplement.  Naturally, the production of energy via fermentation of the biomass in biogas plants is equally possible.  In the last few years, the industrial uses of algae have developed worldwide as a more hopeful approach to mitigation of emerging climate change.   

Thus far, large-scale industrial use of algae has not been undertaken due to insufficient productivity of the existing photobioreactor systems. 

The objective of the cooperation is the fusion of the activities of the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, GICON, and additional partners towards the development and commercialization of internationally competitive solutions in biosolar technology.  The collaboration of the partners also serves the development of a diversified economic structure in the Anhalt-Bitterfeld region.  The simultaneous goal of the cooperation is a targeted development of young scientists with specialized knowledge in the biosolar sector, thus resulting in early action towards prevention of a future lack of specialists.

The first step in the cooperation is the development of an innovative algae reactor for biomass generation.  As a result of research conducted by GICON, a completely new and cutting edge concept for a photobioreactor based on a flexible, tubular system in a biogenic design has been developed.  The development took place within the framework of a project supported by the Saxony Anhalt Ministry of Economy.  The first prototype of the reactor was commissioned on 3 March, 2011 at the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences during a visit by Prof. Wolff, Saxony Anhalt Minister of Education and the Arts, and Dr. Haseloff, Saxony Anhalt Minister of Economy.     

The entire project development was carried out by the employees of the GICON office in Bitterfeld-Wolfen and the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences.

“Algae are the fastest growing plants on our planet.  They build up their biomass by, with help from sunlight, removing CO₂ from the atmosphere and releasing oxygen.  In the process, algae are many times more effective as energy crops, for example.” said Prof. Jochen Großmann, managing partner of GICON.  Prof. Carola Griehl, Director of the Innovation Lab for Algae Biotechnology at the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences added “We are sure that with this innovative photobioreactor, we can achieve a breakthrough for large-scale carbon-neutral industrial use.”