In recent years the interest for organic production of biogas has increased significantly. Numerous organic farmers in Denmark are now considering the possibilities that biogas give in respect to optimisation of supplies of nutrients for growing crops.
According to Senior Consultant Erik Fog from The Knowledge Centre for Agriculture, Organic Farming Department, there are significant advantages for organic farmers that produce biogas
- By producing biogas from organically grown clover grass, for example, the farmer not only utilises the energy, that can be sold, he also obtains a better fertiliser product with higher nutrient levels that will give a greater crop yield .
Typically several organic farmers will work together and establish a small biogas plant. A biogas plant functions just like a stomach of a cow with bacteria that breakdown the organic matter/biomass. In the biogas plant the animal manure and biomass are converted to biogas, as a CO2 neutral source of energy. The nutrients remain in the biomass residue as a liquid, which can be used as a crop fertiliser.