nova’s experts introduced: Elke Breitmayer

Life Cycle Assessments, Economics & Resources

Elke Breitmayer joined the nova-Institute in 2013, working in the sustainability team. Her expertise lies in the fields of sustainability assessments including Life Cycle Assessments (LCA), Techno-Economic Evaluation (TEE) and consumer acceptance studies.
Breitmayer ElkeShe coordinates nova’s tasks within the FP7-project MIRACLES which aims at producing high-value specialties in algae-based biorefineries. In this project, nova-Institute is responsible for the overall sustainability assessment of integrated value chains including environmental and social life cycle assessment.
Moreover, she works in various German and European projects on circular economy related topics such as cascading use of biomass. She has a strong knowledge on material flows, related barriers and micro-economics of different biomass cascades such as wood, fibres and bio-plastics.
Elke is conceptually involved in the development of a quantification scheme for biomass utilization, the so-called “Biomass Utilization Factor” which aims to trace and quantify the biomass flow from primary biomass production, through industrial processing steps, the application in bio-based products, the collection, recovery and cascading uses of the material until its final disposal. The scheme allows an integrated impact assessment of policy instruments.

Background and expertise

Elke studied Agricultural Economics at the University of Hohenheim, Germany with a focus on resource economics and rural development. She started her career in the food industry where she worked in various projects as a specialist for Enterprise-Resource-Planning-Systems. Between 2010 and 2013 she joined a team to assess environmental impacts in intensive agricultural systems in China until she became a member of the nova-team. She has a broad scientific and industrial expertise in the economics and sustainability of agricultural and forest-based value chains as well as the cascading use of biomass.

Elke is currently involved in several national and European projects such as

MIRACLES – Multi-product integrated biorefinery of algae: From carbon dioxide and light energy to high-value specialties www.miraclesproject.eu

„Increasing resource efficiency by cascading use of biomass“ which aims to identify and elaborate potentials of cascading use of several bio-based raw materials. www.biomassekaskaden.de/

Selected Publications:

Breitmayer, E.; Liptow, C.; Siegers, E.; Willems, P.; Schattemann, K.; van Boxtel, T. (2016): “Evaluation of selected microalgae value chains: the MIRACLES projects” at European Roadmap for an Algae-Based Industry. Olhao, 08.04.2016
Van Boxtel, A.J.B.; Perez-Lopez, P. ; Breitmayer, E.; Slegers P.M. (2015): The potential of optimized process design to advance LCA performance of algae production systems. Applied Energy 154: 1122-1127
M. Vis, U. Mantau, B. Allen, R. Essel, J. Reichenbach, P. Reumermann, C. Blanke, C. Bowyer, E. Watkins, S. Nanni, S. Withana, D. Baldock, M. Carus, E. Breitmayer (2016): “CASCADES – Study on the optimised cascading use of wood”; Brussels.
Dammer, L.; Bowyer, C.; Breitmayer, E.; Eder, A.; Nanni, S.; Allen, B.; Carus, M.; Essel, R. (2016): Mapping Study on Cascading Use of Wood Products. Publisher: WWF.
R. Essel, E. Breitmayer, S. Piotrowski, M. Carus (2014): “Gärreste als Fußboden – Vom Gärrest zum Holzwerkstoff”; Energie aus Pflanzen (5-2014).
M. Carus, A. Eder, L. Dammer, L. Scholz, R. Essel, E. Breitmayer, M. Barth, H. Korte (2015): “Wood-Plastic Composites (WPC) and Natural Fibre Composites (NFC): European and Global Markets 2012 and Future Trends in Automotive and Construction”; nova-Institut (Hrsg.).

Source

nova-Institut GmbH, 2016-08-29.

Share

Renewable Carbon News – Daily Newsletter

Subscribe to our daily email newsletter – the world's leading newsletter on renewable materials and chemicals

Subscribe