There will be no national biofertilizer strategy without an effective strategy to unblock biomethane projects
The Government’s announcement of a State Fertilizer Plan for the first quarter of 2027 opens a significant opportunity for the Spanish agri-food sector. After several years marked by energy market volatility and the rising cost of mineral fertilizers, Spain is proposing a strategy aimed at strengthening its autonomy and improving nutrient use efficiency.
The lines of action announced by the Government, aimed at boosting the circular economy and making better use of organic nutrients, reinforce the role that digestate from biomethane plants can play. Provided it meets the applicable technical and regulatory requirements, this material can become a source of recovered nutrients that complements mineral fertilization, helps improve soil organic matter, and progressively reduces dependence on imported fertilizers.
The direction seems correct. However, there is one aspect that deserves special attention: if we want to have more organic nutrients, we must first facilitate the infrastructures capable of producing them.
Biomethane is much more than renewable energy
The Biomethane sector is no longer just focused on the energy perspective; its contribution goes far beyond the production of renewable gas. These facilities allow for the transformation of slurry, manure, and other organic waste into two strategic resources: biomethane and digestate, a nutrient-rich material that, after appropriate treatment and controls, can become a biofertilizer or a high-value organic amendment for agronomic use. This places biomethane at the crossroads of three major national challenges:
- the decarbonization of the energy system
- the sustainable management of organic waste
- the recovery of nutrients for agriculture
It is not just about producing clean energy, but about promoting a circular economy model that leverages resources that already exist in the territory.
The opportunity exists, but it needs a complete value chain
It is important to be rigorous. Digestate alone will not replace all mineral fertilizers, nor can any digestate be used directly as a commercial fertilizer. For these recovered nutrients to provide real value, the following are necessary:
- Biomethane plants that apply the Best Available Techniques
- Quality and traceability standards
- Treatment and recovery technologies suitable for each territory.
- Legal certainty for investments
- A clear regulatory framework that facilitates their agronomic use.
Only then will it be possible to develop a solid biofertilizer market that complements conventional fertilization, partially reduces external dependence, and contributes to improving our soil’s organic matter
The main barrier is administrative
Spain has the technology, technical knowledge, and a significant potential for organic resources from agriculture, livestock, and the agri-food industry. The main limitation remains the speed at which projects manage to become operational plants.
As long as administrative procedures continue to drag on for years, it will be very difficult to achieve the objectives pursued by both energy and decarbonization policy and the future national fertilizer strategy.
Every project that remains blocked means simultaneously delaying:
- new renewable biomethane production
- better organic waste management
- the recovery of nutrients for agricultural use and their sustainable evolution
- new economic development opportunities in rural areas.
There is a direct relationship between Spain’s capacity to produce biofertilizers and the capacity to put new biomethane plants into operation.
From announcement to execution
The future State Fertilizer Plan represents an opportunity to build a more resilient strategy that is less dependent on imported raw materials. But that strategy will only reach its full potential if it is accompanied by measures that accelerate the implementation of the infrastructures that will make it possible to produce those recovered nutrients.
At IAM Carbonzero, we advocate that the energy transition and the transition toward a more sustainable agriculture should not be addressed separately. Biomethane connects both realities and can become a strategic piece for moving toward a more circular, more competitive model with greater autonomy for the Spanish agri-food sector.
If the goal is to increase the use of organic fertilizers, biomethane plants play a much more relevant role. It is precisely these facilities that allow for the transformation of livestock and agri-food waste into recovered nutrients with agronomic value. Therefore, any national strategy that aims to boost biofertilizers should be accompanied by measures that accelerate the authorization and commissioning of new projects, as without new plants, it will be difficult to increase the availability of recoverable digestate.
We will be attentive to the final content of the State Fertilizer Plan when it is published in 2027. It will be then that we can assess to what extent it incorporates concrete measures that boost the recovery of nutrients and favor the development of the biomethane plants that will make that transformation possible.