Accel AgroBiogas

Project goals

More biogas is needed on both sides of the Øresund for the green transition and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To achieve this, agriculture must contribute with more biomass. Through the project, we will demonstrate new concepts and accelerate a sustainable biomass supply for increased production in the region of both biogas and food.

The greatest potential for increased biogas production is in agricultural residues and through sustainable intensification. We need to find rational ways to better utilise crop residues from the cultivation of cereals, legumes, rapeseed, sugar beet, etc. But we also need to develop sustainable concepts for growing and harvesting biomass, such as cover crops, without compromising natural values and food production. These challenges and needs are similar throughout the project region.

Stakeholders

Farmers and biogas producers need to cooperate more. Farmers need to test new concepts to harvest and collect new biomasses and biogas producers need to test these new substrates in their processes, i.e. storage, pre-treatment, feeding and digestion. How this affects the biogas digestate also needs to be investigated. Together, farmers and biogas companies need to develop new business models and build practical experience of the logistics in the value chains.

Work plan and activities

In the project, 4 Living Labs will be developed with local partners in different locations in the project region. Together with farmers and biogas producers and other relevant stakeholders, the knowledge gaps will be identified, concepts around new agricultural biogas substrates will be developed, tested and demonstrated. Doing this together with the target groups and in real environments, we will produce credible and relevant results. Research indicates major climate benefits if these biomasses are utilised in the biogas system compared to leaving crop residues on the field. With the project, we will fill knowledge gaps and develop innovative ideas and approaches on how that can be implemented and we create cross-border meeting places for dissemination of the results to catalyse local efforts and to initiate implementation on a broader front.

An important piece of the puzzle is also that policy creates the right conditions. Biogas production is a cross-sectoral issue that touches and is affected by energy policy, climate and environmental policy and agricultural policy. Which crops, cultivation and harvesting concepts are allowed to produce biomass for biogas production? Are support schemes for food production in line with rules and support for biomass production for biogas? Here, we see a lack of policy integration and a very strong need for a more integrated system. The project will therefore also focus on knowledge transfer and promote policy dialogue with relevant authorities at different levels.

Through our Living Labs, knowledge and practical experiences about new concepts will be created together with the target groups which is important for credibility, ownership and ensuring shorter pathways to implementation. More collaborations between farmers and the biogas industry will be established around new substrates. Front-runners will be starting to implement the concepts already in the final stage of the project and biogas production will be accelerated throughout the project region. Furthermore, climate performance on farms will be improved through the new concepts for biomass delivery to biogas.

Cross-border efforts will create joint learning and exchange and inspiration for farmers, biogas companies, politicians and policymakers and also within the project group. Together we create a good outreach to the target groups and promote further biogas development throughout the region. Decision-makers and authorities will gain a better understanding of how these new concepts provide better synergies and coherence between food, climate and environment policies.