CREM focuses on the optimization of in- and outdoor cultivation of microalgae and downstream processing. By means of innovative technologies and state-of-the-art research methods, current issues will be answered in cooperation with national and international partners. The aim of current activities is the development of processes and procedures to establish microalgae as a sustainable natural resource for material and energy use.

 Cultivation is primarily carried out in outdoor systems in order to be able to transfer the results obtained to commercial production plants. Depending on the problem and the target product, different systems such as raceway ponds, floating photobioreactors or FPA reactors (Flat Panel Airlift) can be used. In addition, various laboratory-scale systems are available that can be used for strain maintenance and preparatory studies.

In the field of downstream processing, CREM primarily deals with algae harvesting and processing as well as the extraction and purification of specific ingredients such as fatty acids, pigments, carbohydrates and proteins. In further steps, these products can be characterized and detected by analytical methods. In order to optimize the value chain and the environmental balance, the complete utilization of all by- and residual material streams is taken into account for the processes to be developed.

Here CREM sees its expertise especially in the areas of energetic utilization of algae and algae residues by fermentation, the recovery of nutrient components such as phosphate from culture media and wastewater as well as the recovery of rare earth metals by biosorption using microalgae.