ECOFERM - The circular farm

ECOFERMThe circular farmJan de Wilt, Netherlands

Conference “Biorefinery for Food & Fuels & Materials”Montpellier, 15-17th June 2015

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• Developing and implementing

groundbreaking innovations in agriculture

• 8 employees, large network

• Public funding

• Budget € 3 million per year

InnovationNetwork

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Content presentation

1. Why circular farming?

2. What is ECOFERM – the circular farm?

3. What is the potential of ECOFERM?

4. What are major challenges?

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Why circular farming?

• More efficient use of resources

• Less emissions to the environment

• Better income for the farmer

• Improving self-sufficiency

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Low efficiency feed to meat

Feed 100%

Heat 60%

Manure 20%

Meat 20%

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Nitrogen and phosphate production

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Closing the circles

EnergyWaterNutrients (N,P,K)CO2

What is ECOFERM?

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ECOFERM

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Aerial view ECOFERM

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Front of ECOFERM

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Veal calves

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Separation of manure

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Manure digester

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Biogas storage

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Gas turbine

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Hot water storage

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Animation ECOFERM

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Biobed

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Duckweed in the greenhouse

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Duckweed pond

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Duckweed

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Algae tubes

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Collection of algae water

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Feeding algae water to the calves

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What is the potential of ECOFERM?

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Nitrogen flows (ton/year for 1000 calves)

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product protein content yield (t dm/ha) protein production (t/ha)soy bean 40% 2,5 1,0rape seed 25% 3 0,8sunflower 23% 3 0,7peas 22% 4,5 1,0beans 28% 4 1,1lupins 35% 2,5 0,9grass 12% 12,5 1,5lucerne 19% 13 2,5sugar beet leaves 12% 4,5 0,5micro-algae 50% 15 7,5duckweed 30% 25 7,5wheat 11% 10 1,1

Duckweed/algae: high in protein

Amino acid composition

Uptake of Nitrogen

Duckweed (inside)25 ton dm/ha30% = 7,5 ton protein/ha

1.2 ton N/ha

Duckweed (outside)15 ton dm/ha30% = 4,5 ton protein/ha

0.72 ton N/ha

Algae (tubes) 1 ha = 333 km tube with diameter of 6 cm44 ton dm/ha26.9 ton protein/ha (Chlorella)

4.22 ton N/ha

In comparison: Grass10 ton dm/ha2 ton protein/ha0.314 ton N/ha

Configurations of algae tubes

Scale needed for recycling N from liquid fraction

0.4 ha duckweed inside

10 ton dm, 3 ton protein, 0.48 ton N

5 ha duckweed pond outside

75 ton dm, 22.5 ton protein, 3.6 ton N

220 km algae tubes (diameter 6 cm)

29 ton dm, 17.7 ton protein, 2.8 ton N

Benefits ECOFERM

• Better production results• Positive health effects • Saving costs of manure disposal• Revenues from organic fertilizer • Saving feeding costs• Energy production

• Management of duckweed and algae• Growing conditions (light, CO2, temperature)• Growth medium• Harvesting

• Food safety aspects• Regulatory aspects

• Environment• Landscape

Challenges

Participants

Thank you for your attention!

QUESTIONS

Video on Youtube (10 minutes, subtitles)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7x5e9oKBJU