The energy crisis caused by the indiscriminate use of fossil fuels, together with the challenge of sustainably feeding an ever-growing population, has motivated the creation of an operational group for the “Recovery of decontamination by-products with fertilizing value”, known as S-Value for short.
The purpose of this project is develop a fertilizer from the recovery of waste from biogas generationdetails Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de Andalucía in a press release.
The S-Valor consortium is made up of the engineering company Inerco Biogas, the Tecnova Technology Center, the injection and experimentation company Viagro, the Andalusian Federation of Agri-Food Cooperatives and the Gran Vega Rural Development Group (GDR). The union of these entities reveals the willingness of the operating group to create synergies between industry and the agricultural sector to promote the circular economy model.
Reduce hazardous waste
In the industrial field, S-Valor designs and develops an innovative system for the decontamination of gas streams -through the adsorption desulfurization process- which will reduce the generation of hazardous waste that occurs in conventional systems. Desulphurization is a vitally important treatment in biogas generation plants, as the corrosive power of components such as hydrogen sulphide would limit their use.
Specifically, the consortium proposes the use of beds with iron oxides and hydroxides as an alternative to other more common desulphurization methods, such as physical ones (where the use of activated carbon is the most widespread system), chemical or biological ones.
According to S-Valor members, while it is not widely used in the industry, the use of iron oxide beds is more economical and efficient. The operating group, in fact, is developing a prototype that will make it possible to valorise the by-products in the cogeneration industry itself.
Like this, economic cost and environmental impact will be avoided derived from the transfer of hazardous waste activated carbon to treatment plants, say the cooperatives.
new inputs
With this method, S-Value aims to recover the sulfur content from the biogas industry for later use as an agricultural input.
Sulfur is highly valued in the production of fruit and vegetables to be an essential macronutrient in the growth of the crop, as it helps it form specific compounds such as amino acids and phospholipids. Furthermore, it increases the structural stability of the plant, increases the content of enzymes, vitamins and chlorophyll and thus improves seed production.
After recovering the sulfur with the new industrial prototype, the operating group continues to work the creation and field validation of new fertilizers with a high content of the aforementioned chemical element. These formulas will be dosed in pellet format to favor the fixation of sulfur in the soil with the aim of improving its structure, helping the absorption of other nutrients and increasing the production of fruit and vegetables.
A priori, the fertilizer developed by S-Valor It presents itself as a greener alternative to current inputs containing sulfur under the sulfate formula. Although the plant absorbs these products quickly, sulfate is very soluble and easily leachable, so large quantities of this type of fertilizer are required to have the desired effect on yield.
Also, it should be noted that S-Value input is cheaper, as it requires fewer applications. In other words, it will translate into competitiveness and profitability of the manufacturing sector.
Targets
Ultimately, and in line with the objectives proposed by Brussels in the European Green Pact, the work of S-Value «it will directly benefit society»guaranteed by Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de Andalucía.
First, why develops technical innovations to promote the use of green energy such as biogas and to reduce the generation of waste from the industrial process.
Second, because he studies more environmentally friendly fertilization alternatives. And thirdly, because it will offer to the final consumer a more sustainable and healthy product.
The S-Valor project is part of the 2020 call Aid for the functioning of the regional operational groups of the European Innovation Association (AEI) in terms of agricultural productivity and sustainability. It is financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and is co-financed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development of the Junta de Andalucía.
