In times of geopolitical challenges and climate crisis, the search for alternative energy sources is becoming increasingly urgent. Climate-neutral hydrogen (H₂) plays a central role in the transition to renewable energy systems. Together with its corporate partner Spiegltec, MCI | The Entrepreneurial School® has launched a promising research project dedicated to the sustainable production of hydrogen from organic biomass, which is being funded for three years by the state of Tyrol as part of the dissertation program for Tyrolean universities.
As part of the “BIOcubed” project, the newly discovered microorganism Thermoactinomyces mirandus, which was found in a Tyrolean biogas plant and which produces hydrogen as a metabolic product, among other things, is being investigated. The aim of this project is to develop an efficient and economical process for the production of hydrogen from lactose-containing biomass and other renewable raw materials based on dark fermentation. Particular attention is being paid to optimizing the production conditions and scaling up the process so that it can be used on an industrial scale in the future. In order to further increase the flexibility and cost-effectiveness of the process, the possibility of using organic waste such as biowaste or food waste as a raw material source for hydrogen production is also being tested.
The interdisciplinary project team brings together experts from science and industry. Selina Haller, PhD student in the “BIOcubed” project, has extensive experience in the fields of fermentation and cultivation. Her mentor Dr. Harald Schöbel is a senior lecturer at MCI and has been supervising research work in the field of biotechnology for many years. On the part of the University of Innsbruck, Priv.-Doz. Dr. Andreas Wagner, an expert in anaerobic microorganisms, is supporting the project and Selina Haller's dissertation. Mira Mutschlechner, research associate at the MCI and co-discoverer of Thermoactinomyces mirandus, is supporting the project with her expertise in anaerobic culture technology. Spiegltec GmbH, a general planning company for technical plant engineering projects, is supporting the research project with its experience in the planning and implementation of complex technical projects in the biotech, pharmaceutical, chemical, life sciences, and sustainable energy sectors.
The project was launched on April 1, 2024, and since then the first hydrogen production trials with Thermoactinomyces mirandus have been successful. The current focus is on optimizing the biosynthesis processes in order to compare the production volume with other, already known hydrogen-producing microorganisms. In the further course of the project, the scaling of the process and the combination of Thermoactinomyces mirandus with other microorganisms in a mixed culture will be investigated in order to achieve an even higher production efficiency.
The research results of this project offer great potential for the regional and national economy. In addition, the research could contribute to the circular economy by using organic waste as raw materials. The “BIOcubed” project therefore not only strengthens scientific expertise in the field of hydrogen production, but also offers new impetus for Tyrol as a business location.
PhD student Selina Haller and project team member Luise Ebert during anaerobic filling for dark fermentation © MCI
Microscopy image of the microorganism T. Mirandus, which produces hydrogen under special cultivation conditions. © MCI
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