We dream of a greener world with less nutrient pollution of coastal waters and dependency on fossil fuels. This dream may become true if we increase the use of renewable energy sources and sustainable crop production systems. Learn about a joint Nordic project that combines these issues.
Challenge
Denmark and the other Scandinavian countries have set political targets for the amount of energy that should be generated from renewable sources. In order to achieve these targets, it is essential to know more about bio energy production from field to energy-use both with respect to economic return and environmental effects of the different production systems, which is one of the major goals of this project. Furthermore, it is necessary to ensure efficient large-scale energy production, that does not compromise food security or landscape.
Tasks
The project "Cultivation for bioenergy, water preservation and field protection" BioM, will strengthen collaboration in the Kattegat-Skagerrak Region within the field of bioenergy, and furthermore improve the environment in lakes and coastal waters. In order to achieve this goal BioM will develop economically and environmentally sustainable large-scale biomass productions for energy purposes, which do not compete with food production.
The project is developed by partners in Denmark, Sweden and Norway as a joint application. The collaboration to develop this project was initiated in early 2008.
The project focus on 4 activities:
- Project management, which ensures an effective leadership and communication platform
- Cultivation system and documentation of effects on the environment and nature, which focus on optimal cultivation systems for energy crops in large scale systems and mapping and measuring the effects of these.
- Development of techniques and harvest and storage methods, which focus on optimization of harvest process, biogas yield, upgrading gas for transport use, and recycling nutrients for organic plant production,
- Organising, local approval and business development will ensure the long term sustainability of the cultivation systems by demonstration sites and dissemination of the achieved knowledge.
Export of the developed cultivation systems may significantly contribute to the utilization of biomasses for bioenergy without compromizing food production in the KASK-Region.
Facts about the project
The project is launched on 1 January 2010 and will run for three years. The project is co-financed by the EU’s Kattegat-Skagerak programme. For further information please visit the website of Region Midtjylland (Central Denmark Region).
AgroTech manages the project and the following partners are involved in the project:
- Agroväst og Länsstyrelsen i Västra Götaland Län (Sweden)
- Bioforsk (Norway)
- Dansk Landbrugsrådgivning (Danish Agricultural Advisory Service)
- Fødevareøkonomisk Institut (The Danish Institute of Food and Resource Economics)
- Landscentret (the National Centre of Danish Agricultural Advisory Service)
- LandboMidtØst (a local advisory centre of Danish Agricultural Advisory Service)
- Natur og Landbrug (Nature and agriculture)
- PlanEnergi (a Danish independent consultancy firm)
- Vestjysk Landboforening (a local advisory centre of Danish Agricultural Advisory Service)
- Økologisk Landsforening (The Danish Association of Organic Agriculture)
- Aarhus Universitet (Aarhus University)
