The new report from the European Biogas Association (EBA) highlights the potential of digestate to replace imported mineral fertilizers, improve nutrient management, and strengthen the viability of biogas and biomethane plants. Spain is among the European countries with the highest estimated digestate production.
EBA has published the report Digestate in Europe: the state of play in 2026, a reference document that analyzes the current situation of digestate in Europe and its role in agricultural fertilization, the circular bioeconomy and the development of the biogas and biomethane sector.
The report emphasizes that digestate should not be considered waste, but rather an agronomic resource with intrinsic value. Rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and organic matter, it can help reduce dependence on fossil-based or imported mineral fertilizers, improve soil health, and close nutrient cycles between livestock farming, agriculture, the agri-food industry, and renewable energy production.
According to EBA, European anaerobic digestion plants produced around in 2024 25 million tons of digestate dry matter, equivalent to about 450 million tons of fresh matterThese flows contain approximately 1,7 million tons of nitrogen, 0,3 million tons of phosphorus y 0,2 million tons of potassiumwith the technical capacity to replace more than 16% of the nitrogenous mineral fertilizer used in European agriculture, until 30% of phosphorus and the 10% of potassium.
Spain, among the main European producers of digestate
Spain occupies a prominent place in this analysis. The report estimates a national production of 18,08 million tons of fresh digestate per year, with a ratio of 93 tons of digestate per GWh of biogas producedThis figure places Spain among the eight European countries with the highest estimated production of digestate in fresh matter, behind Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Czech Republic, Denmark and the Netherlands.
The document also identifies Spain as the third European country in estimated production of digestate from bovine manure, with 15 million tons in 2024Spain ranks only behind France and Germany. Furthermore, it notes that sewage sludge is a key raw material for digestate production in Spain, along with the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Finland, and Germany.
EBA indicates that Spain is among the European countries where, considering only organic sources, nitrogen inputs already exceed crop removal. Therefore, the report points to the need to improve nitrogen use efficiency, redistribute nutrients, and convert manure into digestate with nitrogen more readily available to plants, always with proper storage and application practices.
The report highlights that nearly 75% of European digestate is applied directly to the soil, while another 20% is used after treatment or enhancement processesThese technologies, such as solid-liquid separation, nutrient concentration, and the production of ammonium sulfate, struvite, or derived fertilizers, allow for reduced logistics costs, facilitate transport to nutrient-deficient areas, and improve the integration of digestate into the fertilizer market.
EBA concludes that digestate should receive greater recognition in European and national policies on soil, fertilizers, nutrients, and waste. For the biogas and biomethane sector, this issue is crucial, as it not only determines the economic viability of plants but also their territorial integration and their real contribution to the circular economy. In a country like Spain, with significant agricultural, livestock, agro-industrial, and organic waste treatment potential, biomethane development must progress in conjunction with robust digestate valorization models.