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Central goals of the circular economy include closing material cycles, reducing waste, and permanently keeping raw materials in the economic system. Achieving this requires innovative technologies that open up new avenues for recycling. Gas fermentation is a promising technology; however, some aspects are still in the research phase. The biotechnological process uses exhaust gases such as carbon dioxide as feedstocks to produce valuable products and enable a new approach to industrial emissions. With his research, Professor Ralf Takors wants to help gas fermentation reach market maturity. He explains what is important in this regard in an interview.
- Professor Takors, gas fermentation is a biotechnological process. Bioprocess engineering is widely regarded as a key environmentally friendly industry of the 21st century. Why is that?
Bioprocess engineering uses microorganisms to convert materials into useful chemical compounds. Based on this, efficient manufacturing processes can be developed. These are indispensable in modern industry and are used to produce chemicals, food additives, and pharmaceuticals. Biotechnological manufacturing processes are sustainable because they are based on renewable raw materials such as sugar instead of fossil fuels.
Biotechnological manufacturing processes are important not only from an environmental perspective; they are also gaining strategic importance as wars and crises increasingly restrict access to fossil resources. By harnessing local resources for industrial manufacturing processes, we can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and strengthen the economic resilience of Europe.
- For several years now, researchers at the Institute for Biochemical Engineering (IBVT) have been conducting intensive research into a new biotechnological process: gas fermentation. What particular sustainability potential does this technology offer?
Gas fermentation allows us to convert gases into valuable materials thanks to microbial processes. These are usually exhaust gases such as carbon dioxide. The great potential for sustainability therefore lies in transforming environmentally harmful exhaust gases and waste streams into a sustainable, climate-friendly circular economy.
- What might such a cycle look like?
I will explain this using an example from our research. At the University of Stuttgart, we are investigating how gas fermentation can be used to recover valuable feedstocks for the chemical industry from mixed plastics that are difficult to recycle. The plastic is gasified in specialized pre-treatment processes at the Institute for Energy Process Engineering and Dynamics in Energy Systems (IED), formerly the Institute for Combustion and Power Plant Technology. This yields a high-energy synthesis gas consisting primarily of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen. In the second process step, gas fermentation, the resulting gas is metabolized by anaerobic bacteria. With the help of microbial metabolism, the bacteria produce short-chain organic acids and alcohols, which can serve as valuable feedstocks for the chemical industry.
- In which other sectors could gas fermentation help establish circular value chains?
In the steel industry, for example. In some cases, gas fermentation is even already being used commercially there. Ethanol for the chemical industry is obtained from industrial waste gases. Gas fermentation also offers great potential for the cement industry, which is one of the largest sources of carbon dioxide. One of our research collaborations with a cement company is focused on converting carbon dioxide emissions into acetate or ethanol using gas fermentation. These materials can then be used to produce plastics that would otherwise have to be manufactured using fossil raw materials. The example shows that gas fermentation is not only sustainable but also offers an interesting business model for companies with high emission levels.
- What questions still need to be answered by research before gas fermentation can be widely used?
In addition to specific questions regarding bioprocess development, it is important to outline good use cases and demonstrate feasibility. For example, process development must address the fact that gases are generally poorly soluble in liquid media, thereby limiting their accessibility to microorganisms. Another task is industrial scaling.
- Where does your research begin?
We conduct not only interdisciplinary basic research but also application-oriented research in cooperation with industry. Although our expertise lies particularly in bioprocess development, we also bridge the gap between laboratory development and production scale. We see ourselves as pioneers in identifying promising application areas for gas fermentation. We are also technology developers and address issues such as industrial scaling.
- Regarding scaling: What requirements must be met in order to transfer gas fermentation from laboratory scale to large-scale industrial plants?
Scaling up is a complex process. Reliable forecasts are a key factor for success. Robust mathematical and modeling approaches are required to prevent performance losses when scaling up to the industrial level. At the IBVT, we develop these approaches and conduct computational fluid dynamics studies for large-volume systems.
Another factor contributing to its success is the bioreactor—in other words, the technical system in which gas fermentation takes place under controlled conditions. In industrial applications, we are talking about systems with a volume of around 800 cubic meters. For comparison, a typical 25-meter swimming pool holds about 500 cubic meters. For bioreactors of this size, the layout, optimal design, and optimal operation must be developed in close interaction between basic research and application-oriented implementation. We are also working on this at the IBVT.
Gas fermentation – Projects at the IBVT
CO2BioTech: Limerick - Limestone – an essential resource for cement drives a new polyamide cycle (subproject A), BMBF funding code 031B1400A. Partners: University of Stuttgart, University of Bielefeld, Fraunhofer IGB, Schwenk Zement (Ulm). Duration: 2023–2026
Mixed plastics – from problem to solution through valorization with microorganisms (MiMiWin), MWK, State of Baden-Württemberg. Partners: University of Stuttgart, University of Ulm. Duration: 2025–2028
3DFiberFilm: Design of highly productive carboxydotrophic biofilms with the help of 3D textiles, part of the DFG Priority Program SPP2494 (Productive Biofilm Systems). Partners: University of Stuttgart, DITF (Denkendorf): Duration: 2025–2028
Model-based heterogeneity assessment in gas fermentation (MORE-GAS), Novo Nordisk Funden (Denmark). Partners: DTU Lyngby, BRIGHT (DTU Biosustain) Lyngby, Unibio A/S Roskilde, University of Stuttgart. Duration: 2026–2031
Towards Resilience: Identification and Mitigation of Chemical, Physical, and Biological Heterogeneity in Microbial Gas Fermenting Bioreactors (Recipe), Novo Nordisk Funden (Denmark). Partners: Aarhus University, BRIGHT (DTU Biosustain) Lyngby, Wageningen University, University of Stuttgart. Duration: 2026–2031
Prof. Dr. Ralf Takors, University of Stuttgart, Institute for Biochemical Engineering (IBVT), tel.: +49 711 685 64535, email: takors@ibvt.uni-stuttgart.de
Video with English subtitles
https://www.uni-stuttgart.de/en/university/news/all/Gas-fermentation-Game-change...
https://www.ibvt.uni-stuttgart.de/
https://www.ied.uni-stuttgart.de/en/institute/
Prof. Ralf Takors heads the Institute for Biochemical Engineering (IBVT) at the University of Stuttg ...
Quelle: IBVT
Copyright: University of Stuttgart
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Prof. Ralf Takors heads the Institute for Biochemical Engineering (IBVT) at the University of Stuttg ...
Quelle: IBVT
Copyright: University of Stuttgart
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