Resource recycling – manure into energy.
The Microferm manure digestion installations of HoSt in collaboration with Jumpstart dairy company, FrieslandCampina, are a great success. HoSt is currently constructing the popular mono-manure digester at five different dairy farms in the Netherlands. And two have recently been succesfully completed. The Microferm produces biomethane (green gas) from manure via anaerobic digestion and biogas upgrading, which generates extra income for the dairy farmer. In addition, mono-manure digestion ensures a strong reduction of methane and nitrogen emissions. The Netherlands will soon have 15 Microferms, of which two-thirds with a total biomethane production of approximately 3.2 million cubic meters (Nm3) per year. The rest produce green electricity and heat with a CHP. The five new Microferms are being built at dairy farms in Blokzijl (Overijssel), Boornbergum (Friesland), Lekkum (Leeuwarden), Ell (Limburg) and Achtmaal (Brabant). The installations produce 40 Nm3 of biomethane per hour from 12,000 to 16,000 tons of manure per year. The annual capacity is 320,000 Nm3 of biomethane that is suitable for distribution via any existing or new (natural) gas network. Thanks to one Microferm, approximately 240 households can heat and cook with the sustainable natural gas substitute all year round.
