project - EIP-AGRI Operational Group
Use of biochar to reduce ammonia and GHG emissions from pigs livestock - Char Rimedio
Utilizzo del biochar per la riduzione delle emissioni climalteranti ed ammoniacali in suinicoltura - Char Rimedio
Contexte
Pig breeding in Emilia-Romagna is an important economic activity, which gives rise to undisputed food excellence linked to the territory and a significant related industry. 12.1% of the animals raised nationally are concentrated in the region, equal to 1,024,215 pigs (Veterinary Information System - www.vetinfo.it, 2022). Unfortunately, like other production activities, the management of pig manure generates environmental impacts: the ammonia emission, GHG and odors. The CHAR RIMEDIO project was created with the aim of contributing to the mitigation of emissions resulting from the storage of slurry. In fact, earthen lagoons containing pig slurry are still widespread in pig farms, for which fixed covering techniques, which can be used on concrete tanks to reduce emissions, are in most cases technically unfeasible and economically unsustainable. In these cases it is necessary to identify alternatives that allow a reduction in ammonia and greenhouse gas emissions.
Objectives
The goal of the plan is to reduce the Greenhouse Gases (GHG) and ammonia emissions released by pig slurry tanks. The project also aims to validate the biochar efficiency in reducing odor emissions, to validate the application of biochar in pig slurry tanks, to validate the agronomic performance of biochar / slurry mixtures, as well as to evaluate the environmental and economic benefits of biochar negative emissions and carbon increasing in the soil.
Objectives
L’obiettivo principale del piano è ridurre le emissioni climalteranti (GHG) ed ammoniacali rilasciate dagli stoccaggi di liquame presenti negli allevamenti suinicoli. Il progetto inoltre mira a validare l’efficacia del biochar nella riduzione delle emissioni odorigene, valutare l’applicazione del biochar nello stoccaggio dei liquami, verificare le potenzialità di utilizzo agronomico della miscela biochar/liquame, nonché valutare i benefici ambientali ed economici del biochar nel ridurre le emissioni e nell’incremento di carbonio nel terreno.
Activities
The Plan is organized in 6 working packages:
0) Project coordination
1) Market survey and characterization of Biochar, realization of pig slurry emissions abatement devices
2) Monitoring the Biochar effectiveness in emissions reduction applied to pig slurry
3) Evaluation of the economic and environmental sustainability of the innovation
4) Dissemination of the results
5) Training of the technicians
Activities
Il Piano prevede 6 Azioni:
0) Coordinamento del Progetto
1) Ricerca e caratterizzazione del Biochar, realizzazione dei dispositivi di abbattimento emissioni
2) Monitoraggio dell’efficacia del Biochar applicato ai liquami nel ridurre le emissioni
3) Valutazione della sostenibilità economico ambientale dell’innovazione
4) Divulgazione dei risultati
5) Formazione dei tecnici
Project details
- Main funding source
- Rural development 2014-2020 for Operational Groups
- Rural Development Programme
- 2014IT06RDRP003 Italy - Rural Development Programme (Regional) - Emilia-Romagna
Emplacement
- Main geographical location
- Bologna
EUR 174370.27
Total budget
Total contributions from EAFRD, national co-financing, additional national financing and other financing.
Ressources
Liens
Audiovisual materials
- Utilization of gasification biochar for the reduction of greenhouse gases and a…
- Poster
- Roll-up
- Final results brochure
- Effect of biochar on slurry emissions and influence of slurry on biochar charac…
- Methods of using biochar in swine slurry storage
- Production and characteristics of biochar
- Biochar in agriculture to fertilize and sequester CO2
- Newsletter 1
- Newsletter 2
- Newsletter 3
- Blog and news
- Multimedia presentation
- Photo and videos collection
- Tecnical national paper
- Video Scribing - English version
- Streaming TV video with interviews
- Video scribing
1 Practice Abstracts
The introduction of biochar from gasification in the livestock effluent management chain is interesting for the valorisation of biochar in agriculture as a soil improver enriched in N, P and micronutrients, thanks to the interaction with pig slurry and as a means to sequester CO2 in the soil . The application of biochar to sewage contributes to reducing the carbon footprint only if the subsequent valorisation in the field is considered. Theses with biochar allow to sequester more CO2 than they emit in the analyzed process: -8352 kg CO2eq/ha (FiltChar), - 8597 kg CO2eq/ha (AeroChar), -15433 kg CO2eq/ha (MatChar) and +7830 kg CO2eq/ha for control.
The most suitable solution in reducing ammonia emissions is the MatChar solution which reduces emissions by 32% compared to uncovered storage. The AeroChar treatment was effective in reducing methane and nitrous oxide emissions (-17% and -10% respectively) compared to the control. Sewage filtration with biochar (FiltChar) is less promising in mitigating emissions.
After interaction with pig manure, biochar is more suitable for subsequent agronomic use for fertilizing purposes (pH, C/N and TOC) and the N and P content is significantly increased.
The critical point for large-scale development is the availability of biochar on the market and the high price due to the still undeveloped production chain. The economic sustainability of the biochar application could become positive if the procurement price fell to €80/t.
L’introduzione del biochar da gassificazione nella filiera della gestione degli effluenti d’allevamento risulta interessante per la valorizzazione del biochar in agricoltura come ammendante arricchito in N, P e micronutrienti, grazie all'interazione coi liquami suinicoli e come mezzo per sequestrare CO2 nel terreno. L’applicazione del biochar ai liquami contribuisce a ridurre l’impronta carbonica solo se si considera la successiva valorizzazione in campo. Le tesi con biochar permettono di sequestrare più CO2 di quanta ne emettano nel processo analizzato: -8352 kg CO2eq/ha (FiltChar), - 8597 kg CO2eq/ha (AeroChar), -15433 kg CO2eq/ha (MatChar) e +7830 kg CO2eq/ha per il controllo.
La soluzione più adatta nel ridurre le emissioni di ammoniaca è quella MatChar che riduce le emissioni del 32% rispetto allo stoccaggio non coperto. Il trattamento AeroChar è risultato efficace nel ridurre le emissioni di metano e protossido di azoto (rispettivamente -17% e -10%) rispetto al controllo. La filtrazione dei liquami con biochar (FiltChar) è meno promettente nel mitigare le emissioni.
Punto al momento critico per lo sviluppo ad ampia scala risulta la reperibilità sul mercato del biochar e l’elevata quotazione a causa della filiera produttiva ancora non sviluppata. La sostenibilità economica dell’applicazione del biochar potrebbe divenire positiva se il prezzo di reperimento scendesse a 80 €/t.
Contacts
Project coordinator
-
Organizzazione Interprofessionale Gran Suino Italiano
Project coordinator
Project partners
-
CRPA - Centro Ricerche Produzioni Animali Soc. Cons. p.A.
Project partner
-
Dinamica S.C.ar.l.
Project partner
-
Società Agricola Neve
Project partner
-
Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia
Project partner