# Long-term Research and Education Co-operation in Biotechnology - Savonia AMK

> Adjunct Professor Elias Hakalehto (University of Eastern Finland, University of Helsinki and Finnoflag Oy) visited in Savonia’s Finnish Mechanical Engineering Degree Programme

## Overview of Collaboration
13.06.2023

Adjunct Professor Elias Hakalehto (University of Eastern Finland, University of Helsinki and Finnoflag Oy) visited Savonia’s Finnish Mechanical Engineering Degree Programme as part of the course "Environmental Pollution Control and Prevention in Production Plants," a long-standing tradition.

Since the 1980s, Elias Hakalehto has lectured at Savonia and its predecessor, Kuopio Polytechnic. His contributions span various programs, including Environmental Engineering and Bioeconomy Specialization education. Notably, he has hosted training days for company representatives at Finnoflag Oy’s laboratory in INNOCUM Business Park, Siilinjärvi, focusing on microbial-based biorefining.

## Research and Innovation
The partnership extends into research, most notably the development of the PMEU (Portable Microbe Enrichment Unit). The first prototypes were developed in collaboration with Savonia and tested in the Environmental Technology Water Research Environment during the national POLARIS project (2009–2012).

## Guest Lecture Highlights
In his lecture to Mechanical Engineering students, Hakalehto covered:
*   **Microbiology:** The role of microbes in nature, human health, and industry.
*   **Operating Principles of Nature:** Photosynthesis, nutrient circulation, food chains, and metabolism.
*   **Pandemic Context:** Insights into the COVID-19 pandemic.
*   **Biorefining:** Using microbial physiology to convert waste and side streams into valuable products, helping to replace fossil raw materials.

## The ABOWE Project
Hakalehto and Finnoflag Oy piloted biorefining technology in the ABOWE project (financed by the EU’s Baltic Sea Region program, the Ministry of Employment and the Economy, and the Regional Council of Pohjois Savo). 

*   **Partners:** Savonia (Lead Partner), Finnoflag Oy (Key Technology Provider), and six partners from six countries in the Baltic Sea region.
*   **Scope:** Designed and built a biorefinery pilot plant tested in Kuopio (Powerflute/Savon Sellu), Poland, and Sweden.
*   **Participants:** Over 100 students, teachers, and R&D specialists from vocational schools, universities of applied sciences, and universities, alongside experts from Germany, Poland, Sweden, Lithuania, and Estonia.

## Biorefining Products
The products of biorefining include:
*   Energy gases (hydrogen and methane)
*   Biofuels (ethanol and butanol)
*   “Platform Chemicals” (valeric acid and 2,3-butanediol) for plastic and synthetic rubber production
*   Nutrients and safe food additives (lactic acid and mannitol)
*   Organic fertilizers and soil conditioners
*   Cosmetic health-safe products
*   Pharmaceutical industry components and excipients
*   Clean air, water, and soil

## Case Study: Hiedanranta Project
Hakalehto discussed the "Zero Waste from Zero Fiber" project (2018–2019) in Tampere. The project utilized "zero fiber"—1.5 million cubic meters of cellulose-containing sediment accumulated from the forest industry between 1913 and 2008. Finnoflag Oy successfully produced high-value lactate and mannitol from this waste, demonstrating the potential for industrial-scale biorefining.

## Future Visions and Engineering Integration
Hakalehto emphasized the necessity of "Zero Waste" by connecting production processes in series. He highlighted:
*   **City Food:** Growing food in urban environments.
*   **Microbial Enhancement:** Using microbes to improve nutrient binding in plants.
*   **Mechanical Engineering Role:** The critical need for mechanical engineers to design and manufacture optimized bioreactors and bio-processing equipment.

## Further Information
*   **ABOWE Project (2012-2014):** [www.abowe.eu](http://www.abowe.eu)
*   **Author:** Ari Jääskeläinen, Senior Lecturer in Industrial Management, Savonia University of Applied Sciences