Biogas can help farmers become sustainable

Danish Crown wants to be the world's most sustainable meat producer by 2030, and the food giant aims to be climate neutral by 2050. Biogas can be a significant contributing factor to the future sustainability of Danish farmers and Danish Crown.

"Danish Crown's climate initiative is very ambitious and visionary, and we are convinced that biogas can help farmers and Danish Crown become more sustainable and climate-friendly", says Ole Hvelplund, CEO for Nature Energy.

Nature Energy is the world's largest producer of biogas, which is CO2-neutral and produced from organic material, where agriculture makes a major contribution. 

"Biogas is a circular economy in its purest form; for example, manure from farmers can be processed through our biogas plant to become green and CO2-neutral fertiliser, which can be re-used by the farmers”, says Hvelplund.

Need for political support

Nature Energy is pleased to see that many large companies – most recently SAS and Danish Crown – are taking a major responsibility for the climate and the green transition, and see biogas as part of the solution. Ole Hvelplund hopes that this will also be noted in the Danish government, where energy legislators have temporarily put the brakes on support for biogas, jeopardising Denmark's leading position.

"There is no doubt that biogas has the potential to become Denmark's next major green export success. This demands that we have good, stable conditions in Denmark, because we need public support right now – just like wind turbines did in the beginning", says Hvelplund, also pointing out that Nature Energy is focused on cost reduction, and that the need for support will therefore decrease in the future.

Over the past three years, production of green gas has increased as much as in the previous 30 years. Nature Energy believes that there is a significant potential to optimise the use of biogas as a catalyst for the green transistion in Denmark.

About Nature Energy

Nature Energy is the world's largest producer of biogas. Together with our partners, we own and operate nine biogas plants in Denmark and internationally, with additional plants currently in development. 

Biogas is an important element in the circular economy. Nature Energy produces biogas by using livestock manure, food waste and other organic waste products, solving urgent waste management problems affecting Danish society. 

Biogas also plays an important role in Danish CO₂ accounting. As it replaces fossil natural gas, less natural gas needs to be recovered from the North Sea or other natural gas fields.