IFECHUKWU ASUGO’s Post

The Key to High-Quality Biogas: Feedstock Matters! At Nectar AgriWaste Solutions, we understand that quality feedstock equals quality gas. The production of premium biomethane starts with what we put into the digester, and this means not all animal manure is created equal. Why Feedstock Quality is Critical Manure composition directly impacts the efficiency and output of a biogas plant. Factors such as livestock type, diet, and manure handling practices determine the methane yield and overall energy potential. For example: • Cattle manure is rich in fibrous material, making it excellent for long-term methane production. • Pig manure often contains higher nitrogen levels, requiring careful management to balance the C/N ratio. • Sheep manure, due to its dry consistency, offers unique advantages when mixed with wetter feedstocks. How Nutrition Affects Biogas Quality The diet of livestock significantly influences the manure’s biochemical composition: • High-energy diets (e.g., grains) lead to higher organic matter in manure, boosting gas production. • Low-quality forage can reduce methane potential and increase the presence of unwanted contaminants. • Feed additives may also alter nutrient profiles, impacting the digestibility of the manure in anaerobic systems. At Nectar AgriWaste Solutions, we collaborate with farmers to understand these factors and optimize manure collection and storage to maximize its potential as a renewable energy resource. Supporting Spain’s Agricultural Sector Spain is home to thriving cattle, pig, and sheep industries, each offering a unique contribution to biogas production. By focusing on feedstock quality, we can enhance the sustainability of these sectors while driving progress in the renewable energy transition. Partner with Us If you’re a farmer, developer, or investor looking to turn agricultural waste into a valuable resource, let’s work together. Nectar AgriWaste Solutions bridges the gap between agriculture and renewable energy, ensuring compliance with European regulations and maximizing value for all stakeholders. #Biogas #Biomethane #FeedstockMatters #RenewableEnergy #SustainableAgriculture #CircularEconomy #AnimalManure #CattleFarming #PigFarming #SheepFarming #AgriWasteSolutions #EnergyTransition #SpainAgriculture #GreenInnovation #CleanEnergy #menure #purin #feedstock Together, we can create a cleaner future—starting from the ground up! 🌍

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released a Request for Information (RFI) to establish voluntary standards for the production of #biofuel #feedstocks grown with climate-smart farming practices that could lower overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A greater adoption of climate-smart farming practices could also provide benefits for rural and farm communities, such as improved water quality and soil health. USDA’s RFI is seeking feedback on topics including: ✅Biofuel feedstock crops and practices for consideration in USDA’s analysis. ✅Scientific data, information, and analysis for consideration in quantifying the GHG emissions outcomes of climate-smart agricultural practices and conventional farming practices. ✅Records, documentation, and data necessary to provide sufficient evidence to verify practice adoption and maintenance. ✅Systems used to trace feedstocks throughout the biofuel supply chain. ✅Third-party verification of practice adoption and maintenance. This RFI supports an interagency agreement with U.S. Treasury, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Department of Transportation, and the Environmental Protection Agency to solicit public feedback on future opportunities for including climate-smart biofuel feedstock crops in clean transportation fuel programs. DOE’s Bioenergy Technologies Office recently announced $25.5 million in funding that focused on improving climate-smart agricultural practices that reduce the carbon intensity of biomass feedstocks used for biofuel production. Submit your input by 7/26/24 to help inform options for a robust standard that creates additional market opportunities for U.S. farmers and provides reliable environmental benefits! https://lnkd.in/ersHkPvT

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released a Request for Information (RFI) to establish voluntary standards for the production of biofuel feedstocks grown with climate-smart farming practices that could lower overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A greater adoption of climate-smart farming practices could also provide benefits for rural and farm communities, such as improved water quality and soil health. USDA’s RFI is seeking feedback on topics including: ✅Biofuel feedstock crops and practices for consideration in USDA’s analysis. ✅Scientific data, information, and analysis for consideration in quantifying the GHG emissions outcomes of climate-smart agricultural practices and conventional farming practices. ✅Records, documentation, and data necessary to provide sufficient evidence to verify practice adoption and maintenance. ✅Systems used to trace feedstocks throughout the biofuel supply chain. ✅Third-party verification of practice adoption and maintenance. This RFI supports an interagency agreement with U.S. Treasury, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Department of Transportation, and the Environmental Protection Agency to solicit public feedback on future opportunities for including climate-smart biofuel feedstock crops in clean transportation fuel programs. DOE’s Bioenergy Technologies Office recently announced $25.5 million in funding that focused on improving climate-smart agricultural practices that reduce the carbon intensity of biomass feedstocks used for biofuel production. Submit your input by 7/26/24 to help inform options for a robust standard that creates additional market opportunities for U.S. farmers and provides reliable environmental benefits! Learn more, and help us amplify this news by sharing it with your network! https://lnkd.in/eBDUG4rp

My two part series diving into conflicts over agricultural land use is live!! Pt. 1 debunks claims that expanding solar will threaten U.S. food production and food security. 📉 Solar is responsible for less than 1.18% of the 20 million acres of U.S. farmland lost since 2017. ☀️ Over the next several decades, solar buildout is expected to affect no more than 1.2% of current U.S. farmland, and is unlikely to be concentrated in certain regions or counties, impacting some communities more than others.  🌽 Keep in mind, 52 million acres of U.S. cropland are used to grow corn and soy crops for biofuels. Solar buildout is expected to require 1/5 of the land currently used for biofuels. Plus, solar panels can produce 100x more energy per acre than corn based ethanol. 👩🌾 Given the nominal threat projected solar development presents to land in agricultural production, U.S. farmers and landowners should assess solar lease opportunities without concern that converting land for solar will jeopardize the U.S. food supply. Pt. 2 examines whether agrivoltaics (co-locating solar panels with agricultural production on the same land) can help avoid land-use tradeoffs altogether. 💵 Federal funding from DOE and USDA for agrivoltaics research more than tripled from 2021 to 2022. 🌾 Of the nearly 600 agrivoltaic sites spanning the US today, 233 sites incorporate livestock grazing, primarily for vegetative management. Only 35 include crops grown beneath solar panels. As for the rest, the "ag" part of agrivoltaics means planted grasses. All of these AV sites combined produce about 10,000 megawatts—less than 1% of the Biden administration's 2050 target of 1,570 gigawatts of solar deployment. 🤔 We have a long way to go to prove agrivoltaics is a viable solution to co-locate energy with FOOD production. Future research should focus quantifying land use tradeoffs between crop yields, livestock production, and energy generation in agrivoltaic systems, relative to agriculture-only or solar-only systems. This will help landowners and solar developers alike to improve decision making based on factors like profitability. Both articles available at The Breakthrough Institute and linked in the comments below.

🌿 Biogas Adoption Update🌿 #CatchUsIfYouCan ALFA Project 4th Plenary Meeting, held online on 10. March 2024, moved us a step forward to promote renewable energy in European livestock farming. Here's a recap of the key highlights: 🔹 STRATEGIC PLANNING Project partners are devising a roadmap to boost biogas adoption on livestock farms, driving sustainability in agriculture. 🔹 INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS We are evaluating the progress of tailor-made services to support the open call participants. 🔹 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE Sharing insights and best practices, the project consortium is fostering collaborative learning among partners for greater impact. 🔹 COMMUNICATION & COORDINATION Improving our channels and systems, we aim to ensure seamless collaboration towards our common goal – to unlock the biogas potential in Europe! Join us in revolutionizing biogas in Europe! #ALFAproject #biogas #RenewableEnergy #SustainableFarming

#Nitrogen fertilizer management alone, however, wouldn’t be enough to push U.S. agriculture to negative greenhouse gas status, even if the practice was utilized on 75% of farmland. To realize the full potential of emission reductions, the study said farmers will need to implement a variety of practices that also address challenges from #animal production, #food waste and #energy use.   Beyond nitrogen fertilizer management, soil carbon sequestration and animal feed management represent the second- and third-biggest opportunities to reduce emissions. But changes to on-farm energy use, grazing management and manure management could also bring positive impacts. Taken together, aggressive adoption of these practices have the potential to reduce farming’s carbon footprint to minus 4% of total greenhouse gas #emissions in the U.S. New technologies and emerging management practices, such as biomass production and on-farm solar systems, could push agriculture’s share to minus 6%.   #Solar #Methane #Wind Kansas State University AGRIVI John Deere Brandt Group of Companies AGCO Corporation Smart Apply®, Inc. Tech #Emissions #Scope1 #Scope2 #Scope3   Agtech seedlings - Indigo Ag, Truterra partner to get more farmers enrolled in sustainability programs - https://lnkd.in/gW9FN4SX

I am very excited to share the LysteMize anaerobic digestion research project that I have been working on over the past year at Lystek with support from Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and Brown & Caldwell!   The LysteMize Livestock Waste Characterization Study will evaluate the applicability of LysteMize anaerobic digestion for on-farm digester projects in Ontario by analyzing various livestock manures processed through lab-scale Lystek Thermal Hydrolysis Process (Lystek THP) and biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests.   LysteMize is the process of anaerobically digesting materials that have been hydrolyzed via Lystek THP and enhances digestion by reducing particle size, homogenizing feedstocks, and solubilizing organic carbon. The unique nature of the Lystek THP liquid product allows it to produce biogas while held in an anaerobic environment without the heating, mixing, or regular feeding requirements of a conventional digester.   As an alternative anaerobic digestion technology, LysteMize offers an innovative biogas production pathway and beneficial reuse opportunities to smaller scale farms or farms with discontinuous manure collection in Ontario where digestion was previously unfeasible.   Preliminary results from this LysteMize project have been very promising, suggesting improved digestion performance from Lystek-processed manures and full-scale operational feasibility, so I look forward to sharing more news as the study progresses! Check out the LysteMize Livestock Waste Characterization Study announcement here: https://lnkd.in/gJZngXNH

Biogas Production Potential. Your Favourite Chemical Engineer, Ifechukwu Chinweoke Asugo here. In my last post, I briefly tried to explain that data analysis plays a critical role in monitoring and evaluating the performance of the livestock waste to biogas conversion process, I recall ending it by saying that specific data analysis may vary depending on the region and the characteristics of the livestock waste. A very common example is that data analysis has been conducted to estimate the biogas production potential from livestock waste who reported a variety of software tools coupled with functions and web links for metagenome data analysis help researchers and practitioners understand and optimize the microbial communities involved in the anaerobic digestion process, which is a key component of biogas production (Le Zhang et al., 2019). Studies have analysed factors such as livestock population, waste production rates, and feedstock characteristics to assess the potential energy generation. These analyses highlight the significant contribution that livestock waste can make to renewable energy production and the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions. Was this helpful? Let me know in the comments. #chemicalengineering #waste #LinkedIn #dataanalysis #writers #research #viralposts

Biofuel and farming organizations across the country want USDA to dismantle mandatory combinations of climate-smart agriculture practices to qualify for biofuel tax credits, and the groups suggest moving to a simplified accounting system to propel the industry's growth. https://lnkd.in/gQM-MmXt