At the beginning of last year, Hans Jansen of Stercore expressed the hope that the construction of Drenthe’s first manure gasifier could start quickly. That first stone will not be laid this year either, because the legal battle with Milieudefensie Westerveld drags on. The Council of State will render a judgment on the case around the turn of the year.
The run-up to the realization of the manure gasifier is a long one. Stercore wants to realize this on the Getec site in Emmen. Milieudefensie Westerveld is concerned about nitrogen emissions. After previous attempts to realize the gasifier in Havelte, the environmental club is now also following the developments in Emmen.
Moreover, a manure gasifier such as Stercore’s stimulates intensive livestock farming, according to the environmental club. A case is currently pending at the Council of State, whose ruling is expected this year at the earliest.
Hans Jansen, the initiator of the gasifier together with his partner Richard Kusters, is hopeful about the outcome. On the basis of 24/7 nitrogen measurements and air control plans, nitrogen emissions are virtually nil.
Jansen: “We remain far below the international environmental standards. From a technical point of view, there are no grounds to block this plan. The technical committee of the Council of State also confirms this.” According to Jansen, what is released is equivalent to ’16 people who pee this out every year.’
In total, the construction of the installation, which is to be located at the Getec industrial park in Emmen, will cost 50 to 55 million euros. “We have enough investors who want to step in. But as long as the legal procedure is ongoing, the outcome is awaited.”
In the manure gasifier (not a digester), dry manure is converted into carbon at high temperatures. After treatment, it can be used as a fertilizer substitute and soil improver. The process also releases green gas that can be used by 21,000 households in Emmen every year and can replace natural gas. The expected annual production is 23 million cubic meters of green gas and 85,000 tons of biobased carton (fertilizer).
According to Jansen, the fact that Milieudefensie continues to be a problem stems purely from emotion. “They are against livestock farming. They also claim that we are opposing the sustainability of the agricultural sector.” According to Jansen, this is not correct, since the fertilizer substitute is a sustainable alternative.