1 2 3 4 5 Climate and resource protection are two of the great challenges of our time. How can we extract CO2 from the atmosphere and actively contribute to climate protection? How can we reduce our material consumption, recycle more materials and at the same time access alternative raw materials? At Festo, we have been dealing with these questions for some time and are breaking new ground: we transfer our expertise in automation technology to biological processes. Here, too, nature is our great paragon. It teaches us about resource efficiency, because in nature there is no waste or wastage. We scale and accelerate solutions from the laboratory format and bring them to industrial application through the interplay of biological and technical processes. The cell as a factory Living cells are the smallest factories in the world. Algae’s chloroplast cells photosynthesise to convert sunlight, carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and chemical energy sources – or valuable organic matter. Optimised growth conditions thanks to automation With our automation technology, biomass can be cultivated in a closed cycle in a highly efficient, resource-saving way and on a large scale. Everything that we currently produce from crude oil creating immense CO2 emissions can also be obtained sustainably from algae. They are small planet protectors because they absorb ten times more CO2 than land plants. This value can be increased by a factor of ten through automated cultivation in bioreactors. The biomass obtained can be used in the chemical, food or pharmaceutical industries. Holistic process all the way up to harvesting and refinement With the PhotoBionicCell project, we presented our first bioreactor for the automated cultivation of algae in 2022. This year, we’re going even further. With the BionicCellFactory, we are demonstrating a holistic bioprocess – from the optimised cultivation of the algae on a large scale with continuous monitoring and analysis through to harvesting and the further processing and refinement of the various components. Production systems of the future As a model factory, the BionicCellFactory is the universal blueprint for holistic production systems of the future. With the help of our automation technology, it can be scaled to any size. In order to meet future demand for renewable raw materials, bioreactors with a capacity of several thousand litres are needed. Expertise in process automation is required to ensure that the plants can reliably produce the desired quantities of biomass. Biological transformation portfolio Together with its customers, Festo develops intelligent control cabinet solutions for bioreactors and continues to expand its portfolio. We ensure stable and precise process control with maximum productivity. This includes optimised fumigation and feeding strategies, control algorithms, soft sensors for real-time biomass determination, and system concepts for bio-based production processes. We will also support plant operators with remote diagnostics, maintenance and control via the cloud. Robust value creation processes and easy operation of the system modules will be important if a large number of modular production units for the extraction of raw materials and carbon fixation are to be built and operated around the world in the future. New job profiles for new technologies However, highly qualified technical staff and biotechnologists are not available everywhere. To this end, our experts at Festo Didactic are already analysing the new knowledge requirements in order to define interdisciplinary links and establish innovative apprenticeships, degree programs and additional qualifications in the fields of biomechatronics, biointelligence and sustainability. The paradigm shift affects future-oriented business areas and professional requirements in equal measure. That’s why we are already holistically setting the course for the biological transformation of the economy towards an environmentally friendly circular economy. After all, it is only through the interplay of technology and education that the global challenges of the 21st century can be tackled responsibly. BionicCellFactory Cultivation of biomass on an industrial scale 01: BionicCellFactory: Holistic bioprocess in five modules 02: PhotoBionicCell: Our first bioreactor with a capacity of 10 litres for the automated cultivation of algae. CO2 collection: binding CO2 from the air Analysis: monitoring the cells with the help of quantum sensors and AI Cultivation: controlled growth of biomass thanks to automation Harvest: harvesting the algae using a centrifuge Enzymatic transformation: extraction and further processing of cell components
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzczNDE0