Europe's biofertiliser sector set to expand as digestate gains prominence

The World Biogas Expo will be held in Birmingham, UK on 8‑9 July, drawing key players from the global biogas industry. Recent geopolitical tensions, such as the war in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, have highlighted the reliance of agriculture on synthetic fertilisers and underscored the strategic value of locally produced biofertilisers.

The European Biogas Association reports that the environmental and nutrient value of digestate exceeds €1 billion per year and projects that Europe could generate around 177 million tonnes of fertilisers from waste streams by 2050. Current digestate production in 2024, estimated at 25 million tonnes of dry matter, could replace more than 16 % of mineral nitrogen, up to 30 % of phosphorus and 10 % of potassium used in European agriculture.

The EU Commission has adopted a Fertiliser Action Plan to support farmers facing rising fertiliser costs and to promote bio‑based alternatives. In the UK, the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association urges the government to back British biofertilisers, noting that digestate could offset around £170 million of economic risk in its first year and replace 25‑30 % of synthetic nitrogen use. Technical challenges such as handling wet digestate are being addressed by solutions like HRS’s Digestate Concentration System, which reduces volume and improves nutrient value.