Experimental facility probes farm-based biogas production

Experimental facility probes farm-based biogas production

According to senior researcher Sari Luostarinen, the goal is to develop sitespecific biogas solutions and tot up all the effects of biogas production in euros and cents. She says that n addition to energy supply and investment costs, economic viability of this kind of plant is influenced by many other factors such as changes in the usage of artificial fertilisers and various types of environment impacts.

The study will also look into using various kinds of materials from outside the farm as raw materials for gas production. The research station’s experimental facility is designed to make use of the manure produced in its brand new research cowshed and the field biomass produced on the farm.

The plant, with two 300-cubic-metre slurrystorage tanks, meets the needs of a cowshed with about 100-120 milking cows. The type of plant under study could also be built for common use by several farms. A biogas plant itself uses about 30 per cent of the energy it produces. However they are expected to produce so much energy that an average farm would have enough left over to sell.

Still Luostarinen does not believe that the 350,000-euro investment
would be financially feasible at today’s energy prices without subsidies
or other incentives. Farm-based biogas production is currently eligible
for financial support from the Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

By Jussi-Pekka Aukia
Photo Seppo Samuli