Search

15.11.2004

Newsletter 05/04

N E W S L E T T E R - 05/04

Dear reader,

worldwide, the vision of sustainable corporate development is gaining ground. Companies are increasingly required to assume social responsibility. Read in this issue about two very different examples of the Institute’s work showing how innovation can be triggered for a sustainable future. Get to know “elni”, an international journal for environmental law, and learn which website to visit if you’re into distributed power generation. Wishing fresh insights,

Yours Katja Kukatz on 15 November 2004

CONTENT
F O C A L   T H E M E S

N E W S F L A S H


C O N T A C T


White Biotechnology: Harnessing opportunities, tackling risks

Öko-Institut calls for research funding to be linked to independent accompanying research

pic_1Past experience has shown that possible technologies of the future, such as "Green Electronics" or "Green Chemistry", are in no way confined to delivering only the technological benefits they once promised. Yet just as they are neither green nor sustainable per se, nor are they to be demonized per se. What strategies are required in order to take advantage of the opportunities offered by so-called technologies of the future while at the same time identifying and addressing possible drawbacks? At the "Is Biotechnology Going Green" conference held by Bündnis 90 / The Greens at the end of September in Berlin, Carl-Otto Gensch, a staff researcher at Öko-Institut Freiburg, explained, with reference to the example of White Biotechnology, why independent, accompanying technological development should become the standard.

Germany is one of Europe`s and the world`s market leaders in the field of so-called White Biotechnology. Surprisingly enough, there is to date no clear definition by experts of what White Biotechnology actually is. In general, however, the term is essentially taken to mean the – in part, genetically engineered – production and industrial use of enzymes. This distinguishes White Biotechnology from Green Biotechnology or agricultural genetic engineering, which relates to the use of genetically modified organisms in agriculture, and from Red Biotechnology, which is used in the field of medicine.

Öko-Institut has been accompanying new technological developments for around ten years. "Precisely because we know that technologies of the future also harbour unknown risks, it is especially important to have independent, dialogue-based accompanying research. For only by identifying the risks and associated disadvantages at an early stage is it possible to guarantee that technological development is headed in the right direction," stresses Carl-Otto Gensch, Coordinator of the Sustainable Products & Material Flows Division at Öko-Institut Freiburg. "Ultimately, this is to the benefit of all concerned – industry, the state and society."

What does independent, dialogue-based accompanying research look like in practice? In the last two years, Öko-Institut has studied a number of relevant case examples, e.g. the use of specific enzymes in the textile industry compared with the conventionally applied technology. To be able to use cotton in the textile industry, the cotton fibres must have their layer of wax removed. This is conventionally done using harsh chemicals at high temperatures. An alternative is the use of a newly developed, genetically engineered enzyme. The enzyme is produced in a closed system, with the result that the required genetically modified microorganisms are not released.

The comparison showed that the savings of energy and raw materials when using enzymes are considerable, while the cost of producing the enzymes and application is negligibly small. The biotechnological alternative is also advantageous in terms of its risk potential. This example illustrates that, in the specific case in question, the use of White Biotechnology is clearly preferable to the conventionally used technology. However, this could only be clearly assessed after a corresponding scientific analysis and comparative evaluation of the conventional method and the technological innovation. Yet this finding cannot be applied in blanket manner to other areas of application of White Biotechnology.

The most important requirement upon independent, dialogue-based accompanying research to emerge from this and other examples is thus: the various subdevelopments of a technological path must be examined on an application-specific basis and in concrete individual cases. Alternative methods are assessed on a comparative – but not absolute – basis. Such a case-specific analysis and assessment is vital if the results are to be reliable. The blanket application of these results to other technology paths is not permissible; these must also be clearly distinguished from each other.

Assessment is performed according to environmental and economic criteria. This can be done using already standardized methods, such as life-cycle assessment or risk assessment, or using new integrative approaches, such as eco-efficiency analysis, which additionally considers the economic dimension with life-cycle costing. An appropriate set of environmental indicators is studied across the entire product chain, such as the consumption of raw materials and energy, wastewater contamination or the level of CO2 emissions.

In the view of Öko-Institut, such application-specific assessments of the various subdevelopments of a technology of the future should become the standard. In order to guarantee that financial resources are effectively invested, Öko-Institut is calling for research funding to be linked to independent accompanying research. kk

Further background and thesis papers on "Is Biotechnology Going Green" held at the end of September in Berlin are available here.

Contact:

Carl-Otto Gensch
Öko-Institut e.V. Freiburg
Sustainable Products & Material Flows Division


[back to the index]


Printed Circuit Board of Top Ecological and Technological Quality

Öko-Institut helps to develop innovative technology / Professional circles highly interested

pic_2An environmentally sound innovation in the electronics sector was presented by the Öko-Institut together with various industrial partners at the congress “Electronics Goes Green”, which took place in Berlin at the beginning of September 2004: The research consortium presented first prototypes of an environmentally sound printed circuit board (PCB) based on highly temperature-resistant thermoplastics (HTT). At the congress not only recyclability and the withdrawal of toxic flame retardants were appreciated very much, but also the innovative technological features. “Finally something new on the market. This was long overdue “, experts commented.

Within electric and electronic devices, printed circuit boards have the function to fix electronic components and to connect them conductively. Although they have been in use for decades, thermosetting PCB show disadvantages in terms of ecological and technological quality. Their recycling performance is poor and they contain ecologically precarious flame-retardants. Furthermore, the high continuous service temperatures bring them increasingly to the limits of endurance.

Within a joint research project called „Thermoplastic Printed Circuit Boards as a Contribution to Closed-Loop Recycling“, the scientists could show that it is principally feasible to improve PCB both ecologically and economically. The research & development done in this project had two major objects: on the one hand rigid boards with a foamed sandwich structure, being suitable rather for basic applications like TV remote controls, and on the other hand unfoamed flex-layer and multi-layer structures for complex und highly integrated applications. The recently developed prototype of the foamed HTT board has a specifically low weight, is highly temperature-resistant und can also be post-formed thermally and mechanically. This feature opens up the opportunity to integrate e.g. switch and plug functions, which makes it possible to save components as well as cable and connecting devices. Moreover, foamed HTT boards show excellent high frequency properties.

The new boards can do completely without any flame-retardant system and are easy to recycle, thus offering two fundamental ecological benefits compared with conventional thermosetting PCB base material. Including all upstream processes, HTT boards cause only half the total environmental burden of conventional boards – at roughly the same costs. The new printed circuit board is developed to be compatible with conventional PCB processing equipment, so that they can be used in a wide –range of industries.

„HTT boards are printed circuit boards with ecological premium performance“, highlights Carl-Otto Gensch, the consortium manager and coordinator of the Sustainable Product & Material Flows Department at the Öko-Institut. Thus, the objective is now to follow up with the development of the technology for the mass market. Carl-Otto Gensch stresses: „Thermoplastic printed circuit boards were not destined to exist in niches. They are designed for the universal market of electric and electronic devices.“

Already in 2001, the Öko-Institut initiated the R&D project together with the University of Bayreuth and several enterprises. Against the background of changes in legislation coming up in the following years, further development in PCB technology was and is urgently necessary. As from 2005, manufacturers of electric and electronic equipment (EEE) are obliged to take back end-of-life products, and from 2006 certain dangerous substances in EEE are no longer permitted – aspects which open up windows of opportunity for the successful market introduction of the new technology.

The forthcoming qualification phase of the project will focus – among other things on the following points: qualification of the production of the HTT base material, conducting of safety, reliability and permanent usage tests as well as the development of strategies allowing an eco-efficient redistribution and recycling of HTT boards. As the new technology already has a patent pending, the foundation of a corporation for development and marketing is being considered. After having completed the qualification phase in autumn 2006, the scientists are confident that a mass production of HTT boards is possible. vc/kk

Partners of the Öko-Institut within this project are the University of Bayreuth as well as the companies Lehmann & Voss & Co., Reifenhäuser GmbH & Co Maschinenfabrik, Lüberg Elektronik GmbH & Rothfischer KG, Würth Elektronik GmbH and KEW Konzeptentwicklung GmbH. Roughly half of the project volume was funded by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF).

Contact:

Carl-Otto Gensch
Martin Möller
Öko-Institut e.V. Freiburg
Sustainable Product & Material Flows Division

[back to the index]


Recommended Website: European Research on Distributed Generation

Integrating Sustainable Technologies into the Power Grid

Distributed Generation is high on the European research agenda, and there is research both on the technical, political and regulatory aspects of this new power system paradigm. The idea is to produce an increasing share of power close to the consumer, which is connected to the distribution grid, so as to be able to make use of decentralised renewable resources and combine heat and power generation. Distributed generation could also increase security of supply and can have further economic advantages. Within the 5th EU research programme, a cluster of several research projects was funded, that explore from various perspectives how distributed generation can be integrated in the current electricity system. If you want to learn more about the latest European research results on distributed generation, you may be interested in a website that provides you with links to a number of EU research projects on that issue.

To get a quick overview on the results of these projects, you should go to www.clusterintegration.org. The site gives you a short overview on the projects involved and provides the relevant links, including a link to the “Sustelnet” project, where the Öko Institut was a project partner. The project websites contain a broad range of research results and information on how distributed generation can be integrated into the power system. Also, the website provides further links to more than 100 project partners, making the above website a good starting point for exploring the European “Distributing generation world”. db

Contact:

Dierk Bauknecht
Öko-Institut e.V. Freiburg
Energy & Climate Protection Division

[back to the index]


elni Review: An International Journal for Environmental Law

Current issue 2/2004 now available

The Environmental Law Network International (elni) was founded in 1990 on the initiative of the Öko-Institut to promote the exchange of knowledge and experience of environmental lawyers and any other interested persons on the European and international level. The network’s “Review” is published in English twice a year by the elni coordinating bureau of the Öko-Institut’s environmental law division. The Review is one of the few legal publications that is addressed to environmental lawyers throughout Europe. It contains articles on developments in European and international environmental law and politics as well as comparative environmental law. The current issue 2/2004 is now available.

Main topics are:

  • Environmental Protection by Product Policy: Focus on Dangerous Substances
  • Emissions Trading: A Matter of Learning and Earning
  • Access to Justice in Environmental Matters before the European Court of Justice
  • Access to Genetic Resources and the Sharing of Benefits: Private Rights or Shared Use for Biodiversity Conservation?
  • Restructuring Environmental Legislation in the Netherlands

The annual subscription for the elni Review is 21 Euro for single persons and libraries and 52 Euro for public authorities and law firms, including VAT and packaging. For more information on the elni Review and elni activities please visit the elni Website. If you are interested in a specimen issue please

Contact:

Heike Unruh
elni Coordinating Bureau

[back to the index]


C O N T A C T

Publisher
Öko-Institut e.V.
Institute for Applied Ecology (Öko-Institut)

"Newsletter (Öko-Institut e.V. English ed.)"
ISSN 1614-5283

Editorial office
Department of Public Relations & Communication
Christiane Rathmann
Katja Kukatz

Would you like to recommend the newsletter to a friend?
Do you have any comments?
Would you like to subscribe to the newsletter?
Would you like to unsubscribe to the newsletter?

Print Print

© 2009 Öko-Institut e.V.