RDI projects
RDI projects
#savoniaAMK
Project Information |  |
| Name | Use of biogas digestate in agriculture |
| Start | 1.3.2026 |
| End | 29.2.2028 |
| Website | - |
| Status | Running |
| Contact | Anu Tiikkainen |
| Description | Achieving climate and low-carbon targets requires a significant increase in both renewable energy production and nutrient recycling. In Northern Savonia, manure-based biogas production in particular promotes both of these goals, and a significant biogas cluster is already under construction here. The region's feedstock potential allows for further growth, provided that the delivery of manure and other suitable feedstocks to joint facilities is sufficiently attractive.
In addition to energy, the biogas process produces large amounts of digestate, which can be used as recycled fertilizer. So far, only a few farmers have experience with the technical properties of digestate as a fertilizer, and the subject has not been studied extensively at the farm level. The biogas-producing farmers interviewed by the FarmGas-PS3 project reported that digestate is considerably easier to handle than normal slurry. This property could be significant for the development of the entire sector, provided that it can be verified. The aim of the Use of biogas digestate in agriculture (MäKä) project is to raise awareness of digestate and its use as a recycled fertilizer, and to produce new information on the usability of digestate from biogas plants and the economic efficiency of using it as fertilizer compared to slurry, based on field research and physical and chemical analyses of materials. The field study will be conducted over two consecutive summers on fifteen farms, first with slurry and the following year with digestate, using the same machines, grass fields, and workers on both occasions. At the same time, the relationship between the dry matter content and viscosity of the fertilizer to be spread and their connection to pumpability and the occurrence of possible blockages will be investigated. In addition, the nutrient composition of the fertilizer to be spread, the machine time used for mixing, and the fuel consumption of tractors in mixing and spreading work will be examined. The results will be used to calculate the effects of the differences on labor use, fuel consumption, and farm economics. In addition, model calculations will be produced on the differences between spreading slurry and digestate, for example for a farm producing 10,000 cubic meters of slurry per year that is considering building a biogas plant or committing to becoming a feed supplier for a joint plant. The project will produce material to support decision-making by agricultural and contracting entrepreneurs and those planning to build biogas plants, as well as tools to ensure the operating conditions for agriculture. Awareness of digestate will be promoted by organizing field days and spreading demonstrations in cooperation with stakeholders and other projects. The activities and results will be widely communicated on social media, in professional journals, and at industry events, for example, in the form of articles, posters, and expert presentations, particularly in Northern Savonia. The results can also be communicated nationally and internationally. The project is being implemented by Savonia University of Applied Sciences and Työtehoseura, with the implementation area being Northern Savo and the implementation period being March 1, 2026-February 29, 2028. |
| Partners | Hanketta toteuttavat Savonia ammattikorkeakoulu ja Työtehoseura, toteutusalueena on Pohjois-Savo ja toteutusaika on 1.3.2026-29.2.2028.
Hankkeen pääasiallisina kohderyhminä ovat - Maatilayritykset, joilla olisi mahdollisuus siirtyä käyttämään biokaasulaitoksen mädätejäännöstä lannoitteena - Maatilayritykset, jotka harkitsevat yhteis(biokaasu)laitoksen syötetoimittajaksi sitoutumista ja siten samalla mädätejäännöksen vastaanottamista lannoitteeksi - Maatilayritykset, jotka ovat jo siirtyneet käyttämään lannoitteena biokaasulaitosten mädätejäännöstä - Oman biokaasulaitoksen rakentamista suunnittelevat maatalousyrittäjät - Lietelannan ja/tai mädätejäännöksen levityspalveluja tarjoavat urakoitsijat. Välillisinä kohderyhminä ovat kaikki maatalousyrittäjät, urakoitsijat, neuvojat ja rahoittajat sekä biokaasualan toimijat laajemmin, mukaanluettuna laitetoimittajat. |
| Funded by | JTF 2021-27 |