Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGBAn innovative bio-economy solution to valorise livestock manure into a range of stabilised soil improving materials for environmental sustainability and economic benefit for European agriculture
In the EU-funded project BioEcoSIM, involving 15 partners from four European countries, pig manure is used as a valuable source of raw material. Coordinated by the Fraunhofer IGB, the project aims to convert the constituents of the slurry into various fertilizers: biochar as a phosphorous-rich organic soil improver as well as mineral fertilizers such as ammonium sulphate, calcium phosphate and magnesium ammonium phosphate (struvite). The products can be mixed to a nutrient composition depending on the plant species and soil conditions, and used as easy-to-dose fertilizers for agricultural purposes. This not only prevents overfertilization but also reduces the need for synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, the production of which is highly energy-intensive. The overall process makes use of energy-efficient technologies and works on the principle of circular economy.
