Resource flows

The Material Flows research field focuses on questions surrounding natural material flows (bioeconomy) from a regional perspective. The goal is to contribute to the defossilization of society as part of the energy transition and to substitute fossil resources in material use. The core of the research lies in defining and assessing the defossilization potential of a region, taking into account (i) the various functions of cultural landscapes (protection, utilization, and recreational functions), (ii) the needs of the population, and (iii) the interactions with other regions.

In addition to its focus on bioenergy, the team also works on broader bioeconomy topics, such as the material use of biomass, cascading utilization processes, and food security. Beyond classical material flow analysis, the study of economic and societal transformation processes is also a key element — essential for understanding the implementation of bioeconomic structures from a holistic perspective.

Bioenergy Research

The research field explores:

• Biomass potentials and evolving markets and usage perspectives

• Biomass utilization pathways in the context of economic and ecological effects and intersectoral dependencies

• The contribution of bioenergy to the future energy system, particularly regarding the heat transition, process energy, and greenhouse gas-neutral carbon use (e.g., through sector coupling)

• Infrastructure requirements and technical considerations for the energy transition from a bioenergy perspective

• Sustainable refinancing systems for facilities along various utilization paths

Bioeconomy Research

The research field also examines material utilization options, focusing on cascading processes and their impact on rural areas. Different biomass usage perspectives are compared and evaluated, including analyses of regional value creation effects. Additionally, the team investigates the ecological impacts of biomass use, particularly concerning nature conservation.

Transformation Processes

To initiate and establish transformation processes, it is crucial to understand regional decision-making procedures within the framework of climate protection, as well as to analyze regional, national, and EU-wide processes and the associated political and legal frameworks.

The research field supports the sustainable development of land use through governance analyses. Depending on the research question, various analytical and evaluation methods are applied to assess options for action. The team’s methodological toolkit includes:

• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for environmental impact evaluation across a product’s lifecycle

• Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) to assess economic feasibility

• Value creation analyses to evaluate regional economic impacts

• Verbal-argumentative evaluation methods, such as SWOT analysis, policy analysis, and policy field analysis

Analytical Expertise

The team has expertise in the following analytical methods:

• Economic and technical feasibility studies for implementing practical projects along the biomass value chain

• Cluster analysis to identify patterns and similarities in large datasets, e.g., agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis

• Spatial analyses using GIS tools (ArcGIS) for overlaying geoinformation — site development, shortest-path problems, network analysis, buffer zone creation, heat demand assessments

• Potential analyses to evaluate the feasibility of bioeconomic structures at regional, national, and international levels in forestry, agriculture, and residual materials

• Scenario techniques to compare future development alternatives within a region, including their consequences and interactions

• Comparative legal analyses of energy law and agricultural environmental law, particularly across countries

• Analyses using umberto® software for LCA and CBA

Our Team and Reach

Our team has scientific backgrounds in forestry and agricultural sciences, political and legal sciences, economics, and engineering.

In the Greater Region — Saarland, Wallonia (Belgium), Lorraine (France), and Luxembourg — we are the key point of contact for bio-based regional development and bioeconomy. Nationally and across the EU, the research field is primarily active in bioenergy, the heat transition, and the development of organic fertilizers. We also collaborate with numerous partners in national and international projects.