World region America
Biomass and bioenergy are of crucial importance in America, both North and Latin America. In this context, it is sufficient to mention wheat, soya and sugar cane. Bio-ethanol production is a proven concept in the USA as well as in Brazil.
However, bioenergy is more than bio-ethanol or bio-diesel. Almost all countries in America and the Caribbean show huge potentials of untapped agricultural residues and bio-waste. The cultivation and processing of fruit (e.g. pineapple, grapes), grain (wheat, corn), soy, palm fruit or sugar cane (bagasse, vinasse, filter cake) often produce huge quantities of organic waste. There is also more than enough liquid manure in some regions. Brown algae (Sargassum), which is washed up meters high on the coasts of Brazil, the Caribbean and Mexico, is another potential raw material for bioenergy and bioeconomy applications. A common topic in the colder, normally mountainous regions of the continent is the combustion of fire wood for heating. Due to the valley location, air circulation is often inhibited there. By this, thousands of ovens cause regional smog which affects the health of the people.
DBFZ is cooperating with partners all over North and South America to handle some of the mentioned topics. This applies to specific projects as well as to the academic exchange of scientists and PhD students.
Country experiences
DBFZ has established networks and cooperation agreements with scientists, research institutes and universities in Canada and the USA and various countries in Latin America, especially Brazil, Chile and Mexico. Further contacts have been established in Argentina, Colombia, Peru and the Caribbean.
In Brazil, DBFZ initiated a research and consultancy network together with several partner universities in the state of Rio Grande do Sul focusing on biogas from agricultural residues in South Brazil. Further cooperation partners have been EMBRAPA Suínos e Aves in Concórdia, other EMBRAPA entities and GIZ Brazil. The main areas of common interest are biogas technologies and biogas applications, especially for manure and agricultural residues. However, one of the most important research topics in the DBFZ–Brazilian cooperation had been for several years the energetic use of sugar cane / ethanol production residues (e.g. vinasse and filter cake). Regarding academic cooperation, DBFZ has established a close link to the Universidade de São Paulo (USP) and to the Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Since 2024 bioeconomy applications have been another topic of common interest.
DBFZ’s activities in Chile started in 2012. A major topic for the cooperation has been combustion technologies, in particular for wood logs, and the reduction of emissions (mainly dust). In this field, DBFZ has been cooperating with the University of Talca for several years already. Further projects in Chile analyzed the hydrothermal carbonization of food waste and the combustion of walnut shells. Since 2024 DBFZ has established a cooperation with the University of Concepción, particularly on the topic of CO2-neutral biofuels.
In Mexico, DBFZ has cooperated for various years with the Instituto Tecnológico de Durango. The focus was on the energetic use of woody residues, sewage sludge and different aspects of biogas production. Furthermore, there is academic cooperation with Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). The main activities include the interchange of PhD students and joint studies on gasification, biodiesel and biogas.
In 2024, DBFZ was commissioned to work with research institutes and business partners from the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean to develop economically and ecologically viable concepts for the treatment of tons of brown algae (Sargassum) washed ashore.