Ence, through its subsidiary Ence Biogas, is developing a plant for the production of biofertilisers and biomethane from livestock, agricultural and agro-industrial biomass in Barbastro (Huesca).
As indicated by the company during its participation in the 63rd edition of the Regional Fair of Barbastro (FERMA), the biomethane produced in the infrastructure will be injected into the gas pipeline with a production of between 90-95 GWh/year, equivalent to the consumption of around 10,000 homes. It will also produce some 20,000 tonnes per year of pelletised organic fertiliser for use in agriculture in the region.
This project, which has been declared by the Government of Aragon as an Investment of Regional Interest, involves an investment of more than 20 million euros and has the capacity to process up to 140,000 tonnes per year. It is estimated that it will generate 75 jobs in the construction phase and 25 direct jobs in operation. In terms of indirect employment, the industrial activity is expected to create up to 75 jobs.
The facility, which will contribute to energy decarbonisation and prevent the nitrification of soils and aquifers, will process local substrates, mainly from livestock and agricultural activity on farms near the plant: slurry from the pig sector, manure from the cattle sector, chicken manure and agricultural biomass from waste and vegetable transformation.
Organic biofertilisers
The organic biofertilisers produced will be registered under EU regulation 1009/2019. Their use will be focused on their use as a soil amendment or as an organic fertiliser. With regard to its scope of application, it will range from herbaceous crops, such as barley, oats, wheat and maize, to woody crops, including fruit trees, nuts, vines and olive groves.
Ence, through its subsidiary Ence Biogas, expects to reach a biomethane production of 1TWh in 2030 working with agricultural biomass, livestock and agri-food industry. For its part, the company expects to close this year 2024 reached 14 projects in environmental processing mainly in Aragon, Castilla y León, Catalonia, Castilla-La Mancha and Andalusia.
