Finnish cleantech launch green fertiliser pilot

A FINNISH cleantech company specialising in nutrient recovery from waste streams has launched a pilot plant at a biogas site in Saxony, Germany.

NPHarvest’s installation at Biogas Westerbakum GmbH & Co KG will process up to 20 m3/d of liquid digestate, a byproduct of biogas production, to recover nitrogen and phosphorus, key components in fertiliser.

The company hopes the pilot will encourage further investment in green fertiliser technologies, especially as regulation on nitrogen-based products tighten around Europe.

Nutrient recovery

NPHarvest’s membrane-based recovery system is designed to reduce energy, with the company saying it can capture up to 90% of nitrogen and phosphorus from liquid waste streams.

The process produces fertiliser inputs including ammonium sulfate and calcium phosphate. With relatively low operational requirements, the technology is designed as a modular, plug-in system that can be integrated into existing large-scale plants.

Milan Hofmann, MD of Varea Water, a regional project developer for NPHarvest, said: “We have already seen strong engagement from operators and other industry stakeholders who view nutrient recovery as a practical answer to a growing challenge in the biogas sector.”

Fertiliser in Europe

Across Europe and particularly in Germany, tighter controls on nitrogen use aim to limit groundwater contamination and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

EU countries adopted the National Emission Reduction Commitments Directive in 2016, with Germany setting targets to reduce ammonia emissions by 5% of the 2005 levels by 29% by 2030 compared with 2005 levels.

As Europe’s largest biogas producer, Germany could benefit from technologies that create additional value from waste streams while helping meet environmental targets.

Juho Uzkurt Kaljunen, CEO of NPHarvest, said: “We see nutrient recovery as a structural advancement for the sector, enabling operators to enhance asset productivity without expanding their physical footprint.

“Germany sets the benchmark for biogas operations in Europe and by integrating nutrient recovery into existing infrastructure, it has the opportunity to lead the next phase of the industry, where energy production and resource efficiency advance together.”