The industrial bioeconomy aims to replace fossil raw materials with renewable, bio-based alternatives, thus reducing CO2 emissions and environmental pollution. A key aspect of the bioeconomy is the circular economy, in which residual materials are considered valuable resources and recycled. This offers immense opportunities for environmental protection, economic development and the promotion of a sustainable society.

Interconnected technology chains

To seize this opportunity, the abonocare innovation cluster, at the stand of the Dresden-based Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS at HANNOVER MESSE 2025, is presenting economically viable value chains – for example in the area of nutrient recycling from sewage sludge, digestates or process and wastewater from food processing. The focus here is on the utilization of previously lost nutrients for efficient agricultural production while simultaneously protecting the environment. In the future, complex recycling plants are to be built near the source of the waste, for example in regions with a high livestock population or at industrial sites, in order to refine their residual materials into fertilizer locally. The abonocare innovation cluster has the necessary interrelated technology chains for conditioning, conversion, fractionation and packaging, as well as extensive analytical capacities and pilot plants for product and process development.

Platform for knowledge exchange and the development of new customer-oriented solutions

With the accelerated expansion of the bioeconomy, other organic residues from industrial production will be generated in addition to those already available. From the outset, sustainable strategies should be found for these residues. Since this is absolutely crucial for the successful ramp-up of the bioeconomy, abonocare wants to expand its partner network and push ahead with the development of further process chains and products, for example for residual materials from the food, paper and textile industries as well as the bioeconomy. The innovation cluster sees itself as a platform for knowledge exchange and the development of new customer-oriented solutions for the material and energetic utilization of organic residues. At HANNOVER MESSE 2025, abonocare is therefore hosting a forum with keynote speeches, best practice examples and round table discussions that impressively illustrate the potential and the corresponding technological processes for the utilization of organic residues. In addition, abonocare shows how new business models, export opportunities and jobs can arise from this.