Living Lab Halland
Living Lab Halland covers one of Sweden’s most important agricultural regions — located along the Halland west coast. The region is characterized by high livestock density, large amounts of manure, and strong conditions for increased biogas production. Grasslands dominate the cropping systems, but rapeseed, maize, and cereals are also commonly grown.
In Halland, farmers, advisors, biogas producers, and researchers collaborate to explore how agricultural residues can be utilised for biogas production. The focus is on testing different types of biomass that often lack commercial value today — but have the potential to become an important resource in the green transition.
In the Living Lab, the following are evaluated:
- Green biomass from buffer zones along watercourses
- Chaff and screenings from cereal threshing
- Green biomass from autumn rapeseed in the fall
- Stover from grain maize harvesting
- Rapeseed straw that has been heat-treated and used as bedding material
The trials analyse yield, collection costs, storage, transport, and biogas potential.
Activities
Info from Living Lab Halland
Info from Living Lab Halland
Climate benefits through smart resource use
Converting residual biomass into biogas creates a double environmental benefit. If materials such as straw and chaff are left in the field, they naturally decompose into carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. By instead using this organic material in a biogas plant, the carbon can be converted into methane — which replaces fossil fuels — thereby contributing to reduced net emissions.
In Halland, agriculture accounts for as much as 26% of the county’s total greenhouse gas emissions. By utilising existing residual streams in a more circular and energy-efficient way, the region can take important steps toward more climate-smart farming.
An unexpected side effect: weed control
A particularly interesting aspect of the trials in Halland concerns the handling of chaff from cereal cultivation. These often contain large quantities of weed seeds. Studies show that the digestion process in a biogas plant can kill a significant share of the seed bank — meaning that collection and digestion not only generate energy, but may also help reduce weed pressure in the fields.
Contact
Sara Bergström Nilsson
Hushållningssällskapet Halland
+ 46 730-46 93 18
