Living Lab Midtjylland – Accel Agrobiogas

The Danish Living Lab is based in the area around Skive, located in the catchment area of the Limfjord. However, the activities within the Living Lab are relevant to many parts of Denmark. The Skive area is characterized by intensive agricultural production with both crop cultivation and livestock farming, as well as extensive biogas production based on manure and various organic waste streams.

In the Living Lab, farmers, biogas plants, advisors, and researchers collaborate to explore the potential for producing and using different types of plant biomass in biogas production—benefiting both farmers and biogas facilities. Among the activities are field trials at Aarhus University focused on increasing the yield of catch crops, for example by harvesting cereals before full maturity to provide catch crops with a longer growing season. The trials also examine the biogas potential of straw from immature cereals that are ensiled as a form of pre-treatment before biogas production. Plans also include testing various concepts with farmers and biogas plants in the Skive area, including the use of different types and qualities of grass.

Activities

Inga Evenemang

All events

Information from Living Lab Midtjylland

Need for biomass for biogas production

To achieve economically viable biogas production, sustainable and energy-rich biomass is needed as a complement to manure. Until now, various waste products such as glycerin and fat residues have been used, as well as maize silage at many biogas plants. However, as biogas production has expanded significantly in Denmark in recent years, the most readily available waste products have already been utilized.

In addition, new restrictions have been introduced on the use of energy crops in Danish biogas production. As of 2025, maize will no longer be permitted, and other energy crops such as grass and beets may only be used to a limited extent. Therefore, there is a significant need for new sources of sustainable biomass—both to supply existing biogas production and to meet the needs of future expansion.

Residual biomass such as straw, catch crops, beet tops, post-harvest seed grass, and more may be used without restriction in Danish biogas production. The purpose of the Living Lab is therefore to increase both the production and use of these biomass resources for biogas purposes.

Typical crop production in the region

In the Skive area, intensive crop production is carried out with both annual and perennial crops for food and livestock feed for pigs and cattle. Residual biomass suitable for biogas from these crops may include straw from cereals and seed grass, post-harvest seed grass, or late cuts of grass and clover grass, which are less suitable as feed for cattle.

Desired side effects

Agriculture in the Skive area—just like in many other parts of Denmark—faces major future challenges. From 2027, a new nitrogen regulation will be introduced, meaning that each farm will receive a quota for maximum nitrogen emissions to the aquatic environment. This means that many farms will need to significantly change their crop production in order to meet the quota requirements.

Therefore, the activities in the Living Lab focus not only on increasing biomass production, but also on reducing nitrogen emissions—among other things by harvesting biomass from catch crops. Farmers in the area are also actively working to transition from annual to perennial crops, as perennial crops generally result in lower nitrogen emissions.

Another important challenge for agriculture is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to increase soil carbon content—both to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and to improve soil fertility. The field trials within the project are expected to provide data that can be used to calculate the greenhouse gas balance of different cropping systems.