FOCUS
Bio­economy

Sustainable bioeconomy is a modern form of economic activity, with which biological resources can be used efficiently and sustainably. At Jülich, the interactions between microorganisms, plants and soil are being researched in order to improve resource efficiency in agriculture and maintain plant health.

Bioeconomic research is combined with the research focuses Information and Energy, for example for the simulation of soil-plant interactions or for the development of more energy-efficient bioeconomicutilisation methods. The research and technology platforms such as the Bioeconomy Science Center are a unique feature of Jülich.

For the biobased economy of the future, Jülich’s current goals are the development of a competitive biorefinery process and the use of natural plant substances as a source for bioactive substances, which in turn can be used to produce agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals. In biotechnology, biological catalysts are used to produce active pharmaceutical ingredients. Automation, miniaturisation and digitisation play an important role in the shortening of development times and making them more predictable.

In addition to experimental data collection, terrestrial systems research also focuses on digital models. One vision is to provide information of social relevance, for example for water management or agriculture.