Abstract

The NewBIAS project demonstrates how the perennial crop Miscanthus can support a fully circular, climate-friendly value chain that connects horticulture, pyrolysis, and soil improvement. The project showed that fresh and once-used Miscanthus substrates can successfully replace conventional growing media such as stone wool or coconut coir, providing a renewable and regionally sourced alternative. As the substrate ages, it becomes less effective for plant cultivation but increasingly suitable as a feedstock for pyrolysis, creating a natural transition from substrate use to biochar production.

The project developed an optimized pyrolysis process that safely and efficiently converts used Miscanthus substrate into high-quality biochar. Analytical work revealed clear links between substrate use history and biochar properties, with nutrient-rich biochars showing particularly strong effects on soil water retention, soil structure, and plant stress tolerance. Soil experiments demonstrated improvements in aggregation and water availability, while plant studies indicated enhanced resilience under heat stress.

A comprehensive sustainability assessment confirmed that Miscanthus-based substrate and biochar systems can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and become economically competitive, especially under future carbon pricing or carbon removal incentives.NewBIAS successfully demonstrated a practical, scientifically grounded cascade use of Miscanthus. It provided new process technologies, environmental insights, and economic assessments that together offer a strong foundation for regional circular-bioeconomy strategies in NRW.

BOOST FUND 2.0 Coordinator

Dr. Nina Siebers
IBG-3: Agrosphere
Forschungszentrum Jülich
email: n.siebers@fz-juelich.de

Partners

Prof. Dr. Lüdeling & Dr. Kraska, INRES - Horticultural Science, University of Bonn
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Quicker & A. Brautlacht & M. Lang, Technology of Fuels, RWTH Aachen
Dr. Küppers & Dr. Nischwitz, ZEA-3: Analytics, Forschungszentrum
Prof. Dr. Vereecken & Prof. Dr. Brüggemann & Dr. Siebers, IBG-3: Agrosphere, Forschungszentrum Jülich
Prof. Dr. Schurr & Dr. Schrey & Dr. Kuhn, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich
Prof. Dr. Walther, Operations Management, RWTH Aachen

Funding period

01.07.2022 - 30.09.2025

Funding

NewBIAS is part of the NRW-Strategieprojekt BioSC and thus funded by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Publications

Busch, F, Leal, OdA, Siebers, N and Brüggemann, N (2024). Biochar captures ammonium and nitrate in easily extractable and strongly retained form without stimulating greenhouse gas emissions during composting. Journal of Environmental Quality n/a(n/a).

Ruett, J, Abdelshafy, A and Walther, G (2024). Using miscanthus and biochar as sustainable substrates in horticulture: An economic and carbon footprint assessment of their primary and cascading value chains. Sustainable Production and Consumption 49: 163-178.