Young talent competition54th round of 'Jugend forscht' launched
Under the motto "Ask yourself!", the 'Jugend forscht' competition is starting a new round. As of now, young people can once again register their research projects in the fields of mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology (STEM).
Microalgae such as Chlorella vulgaris produce energy-containing lipids in their cells. But how do you harvest the valuable metabolic products and how do you get from lipids to generally usable biodiesel? In his research project, Moritz Hamberger - the winner of the best interdisciplinary project at Jugend forscht 2018 - found answers to these questions. He constructed and tested various bioreactors in which algae grow. He also tested physical and chemical processes to extract the substances from the cells and convert them into fuel. The young researcher is convinced that Chlorella vulgaris can be cultivated stably and supply raw materials for biodiesel on a technical scale. However, the prerequisites for profitable production processes are the availability of sunlight as an energy source, large reactors and continuous harvesting of the lipids.