Denmark is already a frontrunner in biogas, and the ultimate goal is to be self-sufficient without fossil natural gas. To further this development, Michael Støckler from our partner Food & Bio Cluster Denmark was invited to share the project’s opportunities and services at Northern Europe’s largest agricultural trade fair, Agromek, for farmers who want to be at the forefront of the green transition.
For decades, Agromek in Herning, Denmark has been the agricultural industry’s meeting place for networking and creating new relationships and collaborations. Agromek is where the agricultural industry finds inspiration and new knowledge.
This year, Agromek devoted an entire hall to exploring the energy sector in depth. Here visitors could find innovative technology such as biogas and the interesting but lesser-known technology of pyrolysis.
Each year, visitors can attend a range of various activities at the trade fair and listen to experts share their vast knowledge on the stages where the focus is on development and the future.
Services to boost biogas implementation
Michael Støckler, Senior Innovation Manager at Food & Bio Cluster Denmark, was invited by Agromek to introduce the ALFA project and its customised services on the Agromek Energy Stage on 28 November 2024.
Highlighting the ALFA Open Call, Michael Støckler promoted the possibility for farmers to receive free customised support for biogas projects in the livestock sector – from inspirational events and business support services to technical support and guidance.
Among other things, he stressed the importance of reaching out to experts when implementing biogas solutions in livestock farming and explained how farmers through the project can consult experienced farmers and biogas experts who have integrated biogas technology into their operations as part of a mentorship program. This is a great opportunity for farmers to access valuable guidance and insights to make informed decisions about adopting sustainable biogas solutions on their farm.
Investment in biogas – is it profitable?
As part of the business support services, the attendees were introduced to the ALFA Decision Support Tool – developed in the project to enable farmers to assess whether a potential investment in biogas solutions would be cost-effective. Michael explained how users can fill in their own farm data in the tool, and the tool then estimates profitability and the environmental, economic, and social benefits.
Moreover, Michael Støckler mentioned that the project can help farmers identify European, regional, and national funding opportunities for the implementation of biogas technologies in livestock farming.
An invitation to be inspired by others
For farmers who are in the decision-making process, learning from others can be of great value. Therefore, Michael Støckler explained to the audience how they can explore successful biogas case studies in the interactive map on the ALFA website, covering the ALFA hub countries. To demonstrate real-life examples, Michael Støckler presented the Danish case studies of Thorsen Biogas, Madsen Bioenergi, and I/S Kuhr Hedegaard.
Knowledge gaining and knowledge sharing
To gain more valuable knowledge and updates and to share their knowledge, the audience was also encouraged to dive into ALFA’s online Knowledge Center and Biogas Forum to participate in the debate, share best practices, and explore new concepts and solutions.
