The research cluster “Circular Technologies for Bio-based Materials” focuses its activity on the recycling of various by-products and residuals of the biomass-related processes to address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.

This cluster will be mainly devoted to the process development and optimization to ensure sustainable production, aligning closely with several UN SDGs, particularly SDG 6 and 12. As climate change and variability continue to impact bio-based material production, such efforts are more vital than ever. For example, the composition of plants varies depending on the climate condition, creating a considerable challenge for bio-based production processes. This makes climate consideration a necessity when planning new industrial plants and processes depending on the local climate conditions and projections. 

This cluster aims to develop novel engineering solutions to mitigate effects of climate change on the availability and quality of water, environment, nature, and renewable resources for the future production of a wide range of daily products such as food, pharmaceuticals and basic compounds. This will contribute to several UN SDGs particularly SDG 6, 9, 11 and 12.

This cluster is led by Prof. Dr. Irina Smirnova, the Founding co-Director of the UNU Hub at TUHH. For more information about this cluster contact irina.smirnova@tuhh.de