This study looked at the feasibility of using organic fertilisers as an environmentally beneficial way of maintaining soil fertility and hence productivity of high yielding biomass energy crops. It considered the technical aspects of producing (through composting, anaerobic digestion and chemical means) and using up-graded products generated from manures, slurries and other ammonia or phosphate rich effluents from agro-industrial plant as well as organic residues from agriculture, forestry and municipal solid waste disposal. In addition it considered the impact of such products on yields, environment, soil quality and productivity. The contents of the study included:

European soils

Mineral components

Organic components

Biological components

Inputs (Organic residues)

Characteristics

Geographical availability

Technical availability

Economic availability

Legal availability

Conversion Processes

Composting

Anaerobic digestion

Chemical systems

Products

Composts

Digestates

Slow release complexes

Organic fertilisers

Problems and concerns

Contaminants

Heavy metals

Pathogens

Phyto-inhibition

Nutrient lock-up

Energy Crops

Nutrition

Environmental impact

Cropping trials

Non-technical aspects

Political

Legislation

• Agricultural policy
• Biofuels and power generation
• Plant disease
• Organic waste disposal
• Sludge disposal
• Water quality
• Organic fertiliser (compost) standards

Economics

• Fertiliser costs
• Quality as a market determinant
• Production costs
• Economics of large scale anaerobic digestion