ÖkoPro integrates algae and aquatic biomass production into agricultural processes (e.g. by surface water treatment for biogas plants).
ÖkoPro focuses on reusing residues from biogas plants (and other surface waters) and their subsequent use to further optimize agricultural production efficiency per area. The project thus adresses problematic residues of standard processes in biogas plants which are yet unsolved.
In the project, different promising microalgae systems are tested, process parameters are evaluated and targeted aquatic biomasses are analyzed with respect to important parameters. Possible and worthy of testing here are especially productions for petfood and cosmetics.
Decentrally occurring nutrients, CO2 and heat surpluses are reused directly and sensibly.
Constant quality control is ensured by a toxicologically constantly monitored (micro) algae production.
Biogas plants produce liquid streams from silage pits and other surface water (roofs, roads, etc.) that are sometimes highly contaminated. As part of the project, B.E.S. is developing a method for recycling low-contamination water (approx. 12,000-16,000 m³ per year) using algae biomass. The contamination of the water with particles can be estimated based on its conductivity and turbidity. Two pumps installed in a seepage water shaft are used to start one pump when conductivity/turbidity is high, and the water is fed to the adjacent biogas plant. This ensures that this wastewater stream is used to generate energy. The second pump, which is only activated when conductivity/turbidity falls below a certain level (to be defined during the course of the project after analysis), pumps the lightly contaminated water into the equalization tank that was built as part of the project. In addition, various condensate wastewater streams (condensate from gas pipes, condensate from seepage water stripping) are quantitatively fed into this water stream after analysis. To supplement the process described above, CO2 from the flue gas of the CHP plant will be fed into the reactor to optimize algae production. B.E.S. has set up all these infrastructures and implemented them in intelligent control systems.
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Microalgae are plant-like organisms and highly diverse in their properties. Unlike us, they are able to produce the so-called essential amino acids that non-photosynthetic organisms need to live. They are also full of unsaturated fatty acids that improve our vital functions. Microalgae can be cultivated in pure culture, i.e., as a monoculture, or as a mix, which greatly increases the culture's adaptability to fluctuating conditions. Depending on the starting medium and the type of biomass reuse, either a pure or a mixed culture may be appropriate. Both have been tested for ÖkoPro.
Microalgae are an attractive ingredient for animal feed due to their sustainability and excellent nutrient profile. Microganic trades in microalgae-based feed raw materials. As part of the ÖkoPro project, microalgae from regional cultivation in surface water from biogas plants were tested for their suitability as animal feed. The project is investigating whether these microalgae meet the usual safety requirements for animal feed. It is also examining the extent to which these microalgae may have special characteristics in terms of their ingredients and digestibility compared to other microalgae available on the market, and whether any advantages can then be specifically exploited in marketing as pet food.
