Case Story Denmark

The First Organic Biogas Plant in Denmark

Demonstration project at Bording Organic Farm

June 2013

SUMMARY

The first organic biogas plant in Denmark is located at the organic arable farm in Bording, owned by Bjarne Viller Hansen. The plant became operational in August 2009. From 2010 to 2012 Organic Denmark conducted a demonstration project using the biogas plant, co-financed by a tax reimbursement fund and by the Ministry of Agriculture. Organic biogas is high on the agenda and here to stay in Denmark, where four more organic biogas projects received government grants in 2012.

BACKGROUND

The establishment of the first organic biogas plant in Denmark as a demonstration project has several purposes: – To collect and disseminate knowledge about organic biogas production for crop farmers who do not have animal manure to become fertilizer self-sufficient; – To collect and disseminate knowledge from a working example of how more climate, environment and energy friendly agricultural production can be achieved.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The demonstration project has two main objectives: documentation and dissemination of operating results. The results and experiences from the first years of operation are used to develop a measurement programme that analyses biomass, manure and gas output. The data are used to implement a green farm account, in essence this means CO2 accounting for the final products. The results from the cultivation plot are used to demonstrate the fertilizer effect and the final organic product quality. The dissemination of these experiences and achievements takes place partly through the project web sites (www.elmegaard-organic.dk and www.okologi.dk/biogas) and partly through study trips to the biogas site on the organic farm at Bording (“open house” arrangements). Other forms of dissemination include making a documentary film, giving lectures, publishing articles and distributing leaflets about the construction, operation and on-going results from the organic biogas plant.