Efficient use of farm manures in Northwest Germany - Model-based transport optimization [Effizienzsteigerung bei der verwertung von wirtschaftsdüngern in NordwestDeutschland - Eine modellbasierte transportoptimierung]

Abstract

The ever increasing trend of specialization in the agricultural sector results in regional clusters with specific foci of production. High intensity animal farming regions are characterized by a significant excess of farm manure nutrients relative to the nutrient demand of the local crop land. In arable farming regions, crop nutrient demand is predominantly covered by expensive mineral fertilizers which could be substituted by farm manure nutrients. Transportation, however, is comparatively expensive. The objectives of the present study are (1) to identify regions with manure nutrient excess and regions without manure production and (2) to simulate an optimal distribution of the farm manure under minimal transport costs for the municipalities in the study area, the federal state of Lower Saxony in northwestern Germany. We do this by means of a newly developed model. Simulation results show that a large quantity of manure has to be transported over comparatively far distances to meet legal restrictions. Transportation costs are much higher than the nutrient value of the farm manures. Hence, cost effectiveness of farm manure transports depends not only on the price levels on the energy and fertilizer markets but on generating added value from transported farm manure, e.g. via fermentation to biogas.