Exploring digestate’s contribution to healthy soils

The European Biogas Association is launching a comprehensive white paper exploring the potential of digestate in fostering healthy soils and advancing sustainable agricultural practices across Europe.

The paper “Exploring digestate’s contribution to health soils” examines the multifaceted benefits of integrating digestate into EU agronomic practices. From reducing reliance on costly synthetic fertilisers to promoting effective soil management and restoration, digestate emerges as a key player in addressing mineral imbalances in soils and facilitating efficient carbon capture. Moreover, its utilisation aligns with ongoing developments in EU carbon farming policies, positioning it as a cornerstone in Europe’s transition to a greener, more sustainable agricultural sector.

The further expansion of biogas production in Europe will see the generation of increasing amounts of digestate. Leveraging its significant advantages will yield benefits for farmers, local communities, and producers alike.

The paper dives into the production of digestate, highlighting what happens in the digester and which types of digestate exist. It also investigates the agricultural properties and application of digestate, exploring its diverse uses across Europe and innovative application methods. Additionally, the paper examines the positive environmental, climatic, and soil health impacts associated with digestate, while also considering market strategies. Finally, it concludes with a regulatory framework analysis for digestate at EU and national level.