OPTImised nutrients MAnagement from Livestock production in Alto Adige

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

Spreading of manure on land is a main source of ammonia emissions in the atmosphere. This issue is addressed by Directive 2001/81/EC (“National Emissions Ceiling for certain pollutants” - NEC Directive), which aims to ensure greater protection of the environment and human health from the harmful effects caused by the phenomena of acidification, eutrophication and formation of ozone at ground level.

Following the introduction of the Nitrates Directive (Directive 91/676/EEC), the disposal of manure became an economic challenge for farmers as the amount of waste produced is often greater than the limit allowed by the Directive for its distribution on the land. Hence farmers now have to find economically viable ways of disposing of their excess manure.

OBJECTIVES

The LIFE-OPTIMAL2012 project aimed to demonstrate an innovative approach for managing manure produced by livestock farming. The approach would be based on:

• Minimising regional nutrient surpluses caused by intensive dairy cattle rearing and agricultural land shortages;
• Producing natural, high quality forms of both solid and liquid fertiliser to be used in vineyards and orchard growing areas; and Reducing land abandonment pressures among livestock farmers in upland areas.

These objectives would be achieved by actions focused on:

• Implementing an environmentally sound system for the treatment of solid and liquid manure from an anaerobic digestion plant;
• Reducing the nitrogen/nitrates load per hectare of agricultural land;
• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by replacing industrial fertiliser with organic-mineral fertiliser in vineyards and orchards; and
• Decreasing emissions of ammonia.

The transformation of NH3 in manure to high quality liquid fertiliser and the development of a high precision and low emission spreading system for digestate, will improve farmers’ ability to comply with the NEC Directive.

 

RESULTS

LIFE-OPTIMAL2012 demonstrated an innovative approach for managing manure produced by livestock farming in mountain areas, which minimises regional nutrient surpluses, produces high-quality fertilisers, and reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The project’s innovative system processes liquid manure, from nearby farms in Alta val d'Isarco (Italy), in a biogas plant (digester, built outside the project's budget) to produce methane and renewable energy. The digestate obtained is used to produce liquid and solid (pellet) fertilisers within an innovative plant built for the project, which exploits the energy produced by the biogas generator. A part of the digestate is then returned to the farmers to fertilise their fields. The pellet fertiliser produced is stored in silos, while the liquid concentrate, extracted by reverse osmosis, is kept in tanks, both ready to be sold. The beneficiary transports the manure and the digestate, from and to the farmers, who hence have a double advantage: they no longer exceed nitrate limits in their fields, as they spread only digestate instead of manure and avoid the odour problem, thanks to the use of the prototype tractors.

Environmental benefits, compared to a conventional scenario, include a reduction of 40% of nutrients load (N, P, K) and of nitrate loss of 25%, and a consequent increase of N captured by plants (60-70%). There is also a reduction of some 2 000 tons of CO₂ eq per year, thanks to the use of renewable energy and reduced GHG emissions of 7 000 tons CO₂ eq. In addition, another important goal achieved is the reduction of ammonia (NH₃) emissions into the atmosphere. In the long term, such benefits are expected to increase as more farmers join the project, fertiliser production increases and manure spreading is further avoided.

The project team enlarged the biogas energy plant (4 000 additional m²), to host a second digester and further two post-digester, as well as a biogas upgrading unit and a biomethane Liquefied Natural Gas (bio-LNG) plant. The conversion of the plant from biogas (methane burnt to produce electrical energy) to a bio-LNG plant (methane liquefied and sold as fuel) will generate additional economic and environment benefits, and will allow a significant reduction of CO₂ emissions.

Socio-economic impacts include a positive impact on tourism, as bad odours from manure spreading is avoided. Participating farmers (90 with more expected) will maintain or increase their workforce and number of livestock units. The cost-effectiveness of the project was demonstrated, with a break-even point in 10-11 years.

The project supports the EU Nitrates Directive, National Emission Ceilings Directive, and Common Agricultural Policy. The Regional Rural Development Plans include incentives for acquiring equipment for low-emission spreading (the prototype proposed). Moreover, the pellet fertiliser (BIWI BIO) has been approved in the national register of organic fertilisers.

Additionally a registration of pellet fertiliser (BIWI BIO) and liquid concentrate (WICON) for use in organic farming according to EU 834/2007 & EU 889/2008 regulation was successful.

Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Communication Plan  (see "Read more" section).