Manure as a resource is driving sustainability and innovation in Sweden and Denmark

In Sweden, manure is viewed as a valuable resource, free from the negative connotations it often carries elsewhere. Swedish farmers understand its worth, and the agricultural advisory system aims to minimize losses while also helping to reduce pollution. This advisory system combines public, private, and industry services to help farmers improve sustainability, productivity, and environmental management. An initiative, called Greppa Näringen! (Grasp the Nutrients!), is a collaboration between the Swedish Board of Agriculture, County Administration Boards, the Federation of Swedish Farmers, and several agricultural companies. It offers free advice to farmers to optimize their manure management. The goal is simple: to help farmers make decisions that benefit their businesses and society at large.

Over the years, this initiative has become even more crucial in the face of challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, the recent energy inflation crisis, the ongoing climate crisis, and current geopolitical tensions, all of which are keenly felt in Sweden. Manure can be used to make Sweden more resilient against these issues. It reduces reliance on fossil fuels, supports higher food production, and improves agricultural soil quality. Technology is also expected to aid in managing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture, helping to protect the atmosphere from climate harm.

Biogas reduction and infrastructure challenges in Sweden

Whenever possible, manure is used as raw material for biogas production. Although Swedish biogas is primarily derived from household and industrial waste, manure is a valuable addition to most digesters. Sweden currently produces 2.3 terawatt-hours of biogas, with the University of Linköping estimating that this could increase three- to four-fold.

However, infrastructure is a limitation. Sweden’s natural gas network is limited, with only a small portion connected to the European gas grid through Denmark. The network mainly serves coastal regions from Malmö in the south to Gothenburg in the southwest. This is because most of the country, including Stockholm, lacks a gas pipeline network. On a positive note, approximately 50,000 cars and trucks in Sweden run on gas, more than in Denmark.

Innovations for animal welfare and manure management

A knowledge center at the Swedish Agricultural University, SustAinimal, focuses on the role of animals in sustainability. It promotes the understanding of how livestock contributes to competitive, sustainable, and resilient agriculture and food production in Sweden.

Last year, the NCM, the Dutch Center for Manure Valorization, visited Sweden to explore an innovation known as Moving Floor. This system, designed to improve animal welfare, automatically removes manure, adds straw, and reduces ammonia emissions. With the right adjustments, it could be of interest to the Netherlands.

Potassium and phosphorus deficiencies in Swedish Soil

The NCM noted that although large agricultural areas in Sweden suffer from potassium (K) and phosphorus (P) deficiencies, there is no immediate need to improve the soil's nutrient composition as yields are sufficient. However, with Sweden's goal of increasing food production, this situation may change. As a result, Sweden may require more manure for fertilization and could be interested in importing processed products from the Netherlands. However, this presents challenges for the Netherlands in terms of delivery. As Jan Roefs, Managing Director at the NCM, mentioned: ‘The economic valorization of manure is not easy. Many factors and processing steps influence the decision to export processed manure over long distances.’

Manure management and biogas integration in Denmark

Denmark produces less manure than the Netherlands but has more agricultural land. Since the late 1980s, a legal framework has been in place to reduce runoff into streams, lakes, fjords, and coastal waters. In 1987, the Danish government introduced regulations to control nitrogen use in agriculture, harmonizing the number of animals allowed per hectare and restricting nitrogen application to crops. This led to farmers investing in manure storage and finding logistical solutions for excess manure. Biogas installations, then experimental, now play a crucial role.

In biogas plants, nitrogen is captured and released from organic matter, making it more available for crops. This increases its effectiveness as a fertilizer, especially for crops that require nitrogen. An additional benefit for farmers is that biogas plants cover logistical costs, creating a win-win situation. Currently, biogas accounts for about 40% of Denmark’s total gas consumption, though this is only a fifth of the Netherlands' gas consumption. Around 75% of the biomass used in Danish biogas plants comes from manure, mostly from large-scale livestock farming, with the remaining 25% sourced from organic waste like household and food industry refuse.

Biogas as a strategic resource

After processing in a biogas plant, manure and organic waste are converted into green biogas that can be used for heating homes. However, it is primarily used by industries to replace natural gas. It is also a cost-effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In the 2019 Danish parliamentary elections, climate was a central issue, and the new government committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70%. To achieve this, they established 14 climate partnerships across sectors like waste management, transport, energy, and agriculture. Notably, 10 of these partnerships recognized biogas production as a key strategy, benefiting Denmark’s biogas sector.

Initially, biogas plants were started by farmers, either individually or cooperatively. In recent years, large commercial companies like Shell have also invested. By 2024, 35% of Danish manure was processed into biogas. Research from Aarhus University suggests that a processing rate of 70% is possible, but the current infrastructure is at full capacity, requiring further investments.

The entire biogas sector in Denmark is represented by Biogas Danmark, which includes farmers, scientists, investors, and technical providers. The Public Affairs Chef from Biogas Danmark Esben Tranholm Nielsen stated: ‘In Denmark, many cooperative biogas installations create value for farmers. Degassed slurry, in particular, has a financial advantage for farmers, as it’s often more nutrient-rich than the manure delivered to the biogas plant.’

However, times are changing. Biogas companies are now focusing more on the gas itself, as it generates revenue for both them and the farmers. Politicians are also viewing biogas through the lens of resilience, as decentralized biogas production makes the country less reliant on imported gas. This gas infrastructure essentially functions as a ‘battery’, storing three months’ worth of electricity.

A recent report by the Danish tax administration suggests that biogas should be exempt from usual fuel levies, making its price slightly higher than natural gas. Manure’s value is also recognized in Sweden’s agricultural and biogas sectors, though it is worth noting that half of Sweden’s biogas is imported from Denmark.

Pyrolysis as an emerging carbon capture and biochar

The Danish manure processing and biogas story doesn’t end there. An emerging carbon capture method for agriculture and forestry is pyrolysis (more information in this document in Danish by SEGES Innovation). When organic feedstock is available, it can support sustainable, high-intensity agriculture. In pyrolysis, raw materials are heated to about 600°C in an oxygen-free atmosphere. Dry plant material, which contains about 50% carbon extracted from the atmosphere via photosynthesis, undergoes pyrolysis. Half of the carbon becomes biochar (a form of charcoal made from converting organic material into a solid, carbon-rich substance), while the other half turns into gaseous or liquid hydrocarbons like bio-oil.

In Sweden, this process has been updated to deliver specialized products, mostly from forestry byproducts. In Denmark, however, biochar is the primary product of pyrolysis. Biochar is a stable material that decomposes slowly and effectively removes carbon from the atmosphere, thus providing carbon offset. It is a key element in Denmark’s plan to reduce emissions from agriculture. A subsidy program for biochar will start in 2027, beginning with €25 million (DKK 184 million) and increasing to €70 million (DKK 586 million) annually by 2030. The company most visible in this field is Stiesdal with its SkyClean project. Stiesdal is also involved with green hydrogen production, further integrating agriculture into the future of Denmark's energy network.

Innovative methane reduction technologies

Another innovative solution in Denmark is the methane flare system, which burns excess methane from manure storage and stables. This process prevents methane—28 times more potent than CO2—from being released, replacing it with CO2 and water. While not ideal, it is a significant improvement, and it has attracted attention from officials in Copenhagen, as well as from pig and dairy farmers. This innovation could reduce GHG emissions by up to 20% for both pig and cattle farms, and the technology is being tested at two dairy farms. Tests on pig farms have already had positive results.

To be officially recognized as a climate innovation, this technology must be listed on the Danish Environmental Protection Agency’s technology list. Partners are hoping for inclusion in 2025.

Exploring sustainable agricultural innovations

The Netherlands Agricultural Network (LAN) team Scandinavia, based at the Dutch Embassy in Copenhagen, focuses on facilitating information exchange about developments in Denmark and Sweden. It supports businesses and knowledge institutions in seizing opportunities in these countries. Partly due to a labor shortage, data-driven solutions have become increasingly attractive for the implementation of both large and small work-saving technologies. The Netherlands has very specific solutions for certain products, technology or and software tools for growing crops like cauliflower or flower bulbs, for example. These may be interesting for Denmark and Sweden. On the other hand, these two countries have hands-on experience with data-driven solutions used by many of their farmers. Also, different circumstances inspire different solutions which may bring new ideas.

In June 2025, the LAN team will travel through Denmark and Sweden together with a delegation of interested Dutch companies and experts. The focus will be on sustainable technology for agriculture, such as biogas, stable inventory and digital monitoring in stables and fields. They will explore innovative developments, opportunities, and areas where innovation is needed to meet international sustainability agreements, particularly in Sweden, which is focused on increasing its food production as sustainably as possible. Would you like to participate in the mission? Here you can register and read more about this innovation mission to Denmark and Sweden.

More information

Would you like to know more about manure management, biogas, sustainability and innovation in Sweden, Denmark and Norway? You can visit the country page of Scandinavia at the website Agroberichtenbuitenland.nl of the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature. You can also send an email to the LAN team at the Dutch Embassy in Copenhagen: kop-lvvn@minbuza.nl.

Additional reading (in Dutch)

• https://www.mestverwaarding.nl/kenniscentrum/4507/landbouw-en-mest-in-zweden.  
• https://www.mestverwaarding.nl/kenniscentrum/4690/co2-reductie-en-mest-in-de-deense-landbouw.