The digestate
Methanization allows the production of 2 products: on one side biogas (which can be revalued into electricity, heating, green gas, etc.) and on the other digestate . The latter is the solid and/or liquid part that remains once the organic matter has been decomposed and which will be used in spreading for crop fertilization.
The fertilizing value of digestate, that is, its ability to provide nutrients to crops, depends on several criteria: the raw materials used in the methanization process, the methanization process itself, and the type of crop to which the digestate is applied.
The original materials that have been recovered in methanization can be residues from food or industrial waste, agricultural crops, sewage sludge, etc.
Depending on the overall composition of the mixture, the biology of the digestate can vary but it is often rich in nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium or other trace elements.
This abundance of essential plant nutrients makes it an excellent natural fertilizer and so it is spread on fields to contribute to soil health.
It is this spreading which will also close the virtuous circle of returning materials to the soil through methanization: the fertilizer will help promote the production of new raw materials.
Strict regulations have been established to govern the use of digestate in order to prevent environmental risks such as water pollution. It must be used responsibly and ecologically for its benefit to be total.
Farmers often use laboratory analyses to determine the precise composition of their digestate and adjust their practices according to the specific needs of their crops. This allows them to avoid over-fertilization or under-fertilization depending on the concentration of the digestate. The RED 2 regulation also requires monitoring of plots receiving digestate to measure the impact on the soil.
A final considerable advantage of using digestate is the fact that it is produced locally and therefore minimises imports and transport of other fertilisers.
You can optimize the quality of your digestate by adding trace elements directly into your methanizer with our Methappro offer. Contact us for any questions: contact@methappro.fr