Agriculture | Sprouter Energy

Green Agriculture

Begins with

Green Waste Management

Green renewable energy and agricultural management may not seem to have much in common though they are remarkably and significantly intertwined.

The total demand for food, feed and fibre is projected to grow by 70% through till 2050 with the amount of arable land per person decreasing by 1.5% per year.

Agriculture Pollution is one of the bigger problems related to climate change with issues such as methane emissions from animals and manure, methane emissions from decomposing food and crop waste, water pollution from chemical fertilizers and pesticides, over land use for energy crops and the use of fossil-fuel equipment.

Through the Global Methane Pledge, the European Commission and numerous other countries are working to accelerate the uptake of mitigation technologies via the deployment of “carbon farming” across European Union Member States and the world at large. They recognize that methane emissions coming from multiple waste streams are the second leading contributor to greenhouse gasses and rising global temperatures. Their priority is to promote biomethane production from agricultural wastes and other residues to tackle these issues. The one major area agreed upon by all governmental stakeholders, that a key component is the deployment and use of anaerobic digesters to reduce methane emissions and to create climate-smart renewable energy.

Agricultre

Agricultural Waste

Cow Manure

Manure from cows, both dairy and feedlot productions, is a major source of agricultural pollution. The slurry contributes directly to methane emissions, contamination of water tables and creates potent odours. Cow manure can be processed into clean energy and digestates via anaerobic digestion.

Chicken & Pig Manure

Pig muck and chicken feces are major sources of agricultural pollution as both are high in nitrogen and phosphorus. Excess nitrates and phosphorus can be found in ground water and runoffs resulting in bacterial contamination and fish deaths. Pig and chicken manure can be processed into clean energy and digestates via anaerobic digestion.

Waste Water

Agriculture accounts for nearly 70 percent of water withdrawals worldwide and plays a major role in water pollution. Farms discharge large quantities of agrochemicals, organic matter, drug residues, sediments and saline drainage into water bodies. These impurities can contaminate through a variety of ways and can potentially spread bacteria, viruses, and parasites to crops and animals. Anaerobic digestion and secondary filtration can remove toxins from used water and return it to a potable level.

Food Processing Waste

Food processing waste is seen in the by-products or casings which remain after processing. The solid waste is the portion of the starting material that cannot be utilized in the production of the intended products, such as skins, pips, husks and fibres or juices extracted but not used. Examples being: coffee bean husks skins and pulp, wine making producing grape skins stems seeds and pulp, excess fiber and juice from oranges and pineapples, and in the brewery spent grain hot trub and brewer yeast. Anaerobic digestion can use the waste from the processing cycle, processing them into clean energy and digestates.

Fruit & Vegetable Waste

Fruit and vegetable processing of the primary product create multiple wastes such as peels, seeds, leaves, residual pulp, stems, stones, and discarded pieces of the primary product. A high percentage of product is directly discarded due to size, discolouration, bruising or other damage. Also created is wastewater and juices from the washing and processing of the primary product. Anaerobic digestion can use the waste from the processing cycle, both liquids and solids, processing them into clean energy and digestates.

Fertilizers & Pesticides

Digestate - A Natural Fertilizer

Digestate created as a by-product of the anaerobic digestion process is a superior, environmentally friendly replacement to chemical fertilizers and some pesticides.

The physical material remaining after the AD process:

is a wet mixture which can be separated into liquids or solids
both are extremely rich in nutrients
is an excellent fertiliser containing all necessary nutrients and micronutrients for farming
includes nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium
completely organic
reduces the amount of phosphorus needed be to be mined
reduces nitrogen leaching into ground water versus unprocessed organic material
reduction of animal and plant pathogens
reduces the spread of invasive weeds thus fewer chemical sprays
can be used for soil replenishment

The supply of digestate is relatively inexhaustible as by volume digestate output will be approximately 90-95% of the amount fed into the digester. Thus the more manure or waste is created and feed int the anaerobic digestor, the more digestate is produced.

Farm Managment

There are several direct and indirect long-term benefits to the agricultural sector as a result of Sprouter Energy.

Reduction of methane emissions
Reduction manure applied directly to fields or stockpiled
Reduction of wastewater
Reduction of cereal & feed crop waste
Reduction of fruit & vegetable waste
Reduction of food processing waste
Reduction in water contamination
Reduction is chemical soil depletion
Reduction in the number and amount of chemical fertilizers used
Reduction in the number and amount of pesticides used

Water reclamation
Soil reclamation

Using renewable energy as a primary power source
Using renewable electricity to power smaller gas-powered equipment
Using renewable biomethane to power medium gas- & diesel-powered equipment
Using green hydrogen on heavy equipment as a diesel replacement
Using 100% environmentally friendly digestate as fertilizers
Using 100% environmentally friendly digestate to reduce pathogen instead of pesticide

Using Sprouter Energy direct renewable energy products and environmentally friendly by-products enables farms to reduce their carbon footprint, reduce their methane signature, using environmentally agreeable fertilizers, operate on renewable energy and transition medium and heavy equipment to green biomethane and green hydrogen.