The aim is to develop a sustainable and resource-conserving bioeconomy in rural areas. The biologisation of the economy, i.e. the use of biological innovations in production processes, can contribute to value creation and sustainably intensify the productivity of agricultural production sites. Sustainability, efficiency and economic viability are not contradictory, but complementary. This includes, for example, the efficient use of biological, renewable resources in production to create more sustainable products with high value. In particular, new, alternative processes for residual and by-product recycling integrated into existing value chains should be emphasised.

The work aims to pilot a sustainable, resource-saving technology for the conversion of plant by-products into usable components (especially protein-rich algae biomass) in the immediate vicinity of farms. The aim is to utilise side streams from vegetable production via hydrolysis and use of the hydrolysate as a source of nutrients for heterogeneous microalgae (Galdieria sulphuraria and Euglena gracilis). The future use of the process lies in the production of protein-rich algal biomass, which can be used on site by the farmers involved, Eberhard Schulte-Siering and Ralf Schröder from Lower Saxony, as feed in cattle and pig fattening or sold to external parties.

It is expected that decentralised utilisation will minimise long transport routes and that better CO2 balances of the end products can be achieved. In terms of the bioeconomy, the CO2-efficient production of protein-rich algae biomass can thus be implemented. Furthermore, climate gas formation is positively influenced by the reduced use of fossil fuels and the prioritised use of locally produced biomass. Climate-relevant emissions are practically not to be expected.

The farmers Eberhard Schulte-Siering and Ralf Schröder as well as the DIL and the ILU are working on piloting the process consisting of hydrolysis of the plant side streams, algae cultivation and biomass harvesting and on integrating it into the operational procedure and routine of agricultural enterprises.