The goal of the joint project "KaVe" (coffee substitute composite material) is to develop a high-quality bio-based composite material based on coffee grounds. Coffee grounds are used primarily as fillers and colouring agents, thereby substituting fossil-based polymers and colour additives and thus saving considerable amounts of unsaturated hydrocarbon compounds from petroleum and partly from coal and natural gas.

In many areas, agricultural, cellulose-containing residues in the form of residual raw material are extensively exploited for energy by firing or biologically as fodder. While electricity, heat and power are being generated that way, at the same time material values, i.e. raw materials are destroyed. This not only leads to increased air pollution and reduced quality, but it also prevents the return of such residues into the economic cycle as high-quality products (upcycling). The aim of this project is to create opportunities to redirect residue flows in such a way that they are processed into sustainable and high-quality biocomposite materials in order to make them available to the energy sector as needed.