In August 2023, the UrbanAqua research and development project was launched in Bremen under the umbrella of the “Bioeconomy at Marine Sites” (BaMS) innovation space funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The aim of the project is to develop an aquaponic pilot plant for urban circular economy at the Acheron GmbH site on Bremen's Übersee Island. To this end, the Bremen-based companies Acheron, Farmcycle GmbH, and Polyplan-Kreikenbaum Gruppe GmbH are cooperating with the renowned research institutions of the Alfred Wegener Institute in Bremerhaven and the universities of Bremen and Bremerhaven. The overall goal of the consortium is to demonstrate that sustainable production of fish and vegetable products is feasible in the middle of the city through the best possible recycling. This is to be achieved through the bioconversion of nitrogen- and phosphorus-containing residues and the utilization of locally produced by-products. The project work focuses on the development of an aquaponics system for breeding freshwater fish and leafy vegetables with integrated microalgae cultivation, duckweed and insect breeding, the associated measurement and control technology, and sustainable energy and marketing concepts. By the end of 2025, development should be at a stage where fresh and healthy food can be produced sustainably at the model site.
In the UrbanAqua project, a pilot site for the sustainable production of fish, leafy vegetables, microalgae and insects is being created in the middle of Bremen. The aim is to transfer the principles of the Blue Bioeconomy to the urban space, in the form of a closed aquatic circular economy. The project is funded by the innovation space “Bioeconomy on Marine Sites” (BaMS) and is a joint project of research, industry and urban development.
At the site of Acheron GmbH on Bremen’s Überseeinsel, all components of an aquaponics system are being integrated in a former animal barn: freshwater fish, vegetable production, microalgae reactors, duckweed and insect farming. Residues from fish farming and the food industry are converted into usable biomass. Polyculture farming and the targeted nutrient cycle between the modules enable resource-saving production. The Alfred Wegener Institute, the universities of applied sciences in Bremen and Bremerhaven as well as the companies Farmcycle GmbH and Polyplan-Kreikenbaum are involved in planning and implementation.
A computer-supported system for monitoring ongoing operation is being developed for the facility. In addition to water and energy efficiency, the CO₂ balance and nutrient utilization are also in focus. Dedicated laboratories and newly developed bioprocesses are used for microalgae-based nutrient recovery and sludge utilization.
UrbanAqua addresses central cross-cutting topics of the BaMS framework concept, including the sustainable use of aquatic biomass, closed nutrient cycles, integrated energy concepts and environmental education. The site also serves scientific training and is already being visited today by students from Bremen and Bremerhaven. In the future, it is also to be made accessible to the public.
The infrastructure has largely been set up: five RAS systems (Recirculating Aquaculture Systems), microalgae reactors, imaging systems for fish and plants, as well as control technology for regulating the processes. First cultivation trials with microalgae show promising results.
For 2025, further tests, excursions, events as well as scientific publications and patent applications are planned. The aim is to develop a marketable, sustainable and scalable overall concept that can also be used at other sites.
UrbanAqua shows how modern food systems can be integrated into urban infrastructures in a resource-saving way, and how research, technology and entrepreneurial initiative together pave new paths for sustainable food production.
Project management
Joachim Henjes
Alfred Wegener Institute Bremerhaven
Joachim.Henjes@awi.de
