Paper details

Title:

Exploitation of Biogas Digestates to Meet Nutrient Demands of Different Cultivars in a Crop Rotation

Author(s):

Formowitz, B., Fritz, M., Heimler, F.

Document(s):

Abstract:

In a nation­wide research project different crop rotations were established in various typical agrarian regions of Germany. In order to produce predominantly crops as biogas substrates the rotations are tested for their yield performance, ecological impact and economic feasibility. With the intention to close nutrient cycles by using biogas digestates as organic fertilizer, a satellite experiment was set up in 2009 to compare their humus accumulation capacity to an exclusive mineral fertilization. Furthermore, the combination of organic and mineral fertilization (50 % mineral­N + 50 % digestate­N) might be more practice­oriented. The results of the first two years clearly indicate that biogas digestates serve as an adequate alternative to substitute mineral fertilizer. In both years difficulties occurred to apply the planned digestate­N­rates because of occasionally strong variations in nutrient concentrations of the digestates. Through the combination of organic and mineral fertilization the missing N­amounts could partly be compensated.

Keywords:

digestate, energy crops, fertilization, renewable energies, rotation

Topic:

Biomass Resources

Subtopic:

Energy crops (session 5)

Event:

19th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition

Session:

VP1.3.35

Pages:

669 - 673

ISBN-13:

978-88-89407-55-4

ISBN-10:

88-89407-55-7

Paper DOI:

10.5071/19thEUBCE2011-VP1.3.35

Price:

FREE