Profile

Abstract

My scientific interests focus mainly on the measurement and modeling of CO2 and energy balances of photosynthesis in microalgal cultures. I have been working on this for more than 20 years. Based on this, we are working at our institute on the development and evaluation of cultivation systems / bioreactors for microalgae. These systems are used to investigate the feasibility of a biotechnological approach to produce algae-based platform chemicals as crude oil substitutes. The biogenic platform chemicals (mostly sugars) produced in this way are subsequently used for chemical conversion ("new green chemistry") or as feedstock for fermentation to methane (biogas production). In addition to basic research and technical implementation of such a system, we are concerned with the energetic and economic balances of this algae-based production of biogenic substitutes.