Ecoferm is a circular farming initiative in the Netherlands aimed at enhancing agricultural efficiency and sustainability by optimizing resource use, reducing emissions, and increasing farmer income. The presentation highlights innovations such as the use of resources like duckweed and algae for protein production, along with the challenges and potential benefits of implementing these practices. It emphasizes the importance of closing nutrient and energy cycles to achieve better production results and environmental health.

1. ECOFERM
The circular farm
Jan de Wilt, Netherlands
Conference “Biorefinery for Food & Fuels & Materials”
Montpellier, 15-17th
June 2015

2. 2
• Developing and implementing
groundbreaking innovations in agriculture
• 8 employees, large network
• Public funding
• Budget € 3 million per year
InnovationNetwork

3. 3
Content presentation
1. Why circular farming?
2. What is ECOFERM – the circular farm?
3. What is the potential of ECOFERM?
4. What are major challenges?

4. 4
Why circular farming?
• More efficient use of resources
• Less emissions to the environment
• Better income for the farmer
• Improving self-sufficiency

5. 5
Low efficiency feed to meat
Feed
100%
Heat 60%
Manure
20%
Meat 20%

6. 6
Nitrogen and phosphate production

7. 7
Closing the circles
Energy
Water
Nutrients (N,P,K)
CO2

8. What is ECOFERM?
8

9. 9
ECOFERM

10. 10
Aerial view ECOFERM

11. 11
Front of ECOFERM

12. 12
Veal calves

13. 13
Separation of manure

14. 14
Manure digester

15. 15
Biogas storage

16. 16
Gas turbine

17. 17
Hot water storage

18. 18
Animation ECOFERM

19. 19
Biobed

20. 20
Duckweed in the greenhouse

21. 21
Duckweed pond

22. 22
Duckweed

23. 23
Algae tubes

24. 24
Collection of algae water

25. 25
Feeding algae water to the calves

26. 26
What is the potential
of ECOFERM?

27. 27
41
5
2
2 7
7
24
18
3
21
2
Nitrogen flows (ton/year for 1000 calves)
24

28. product protein content yield (t dm/ha) protein production (t/ha)
soy bean 40% 2,5 1,0
rape seed 25% 3 0,8
sunflower 23% 3 0,7
peas 22% 4,5 1,0
beans 28% 4 1,1
lupins 35% 2,5 0,9
grass 12% 12,5 1,5
lucerne 19% 13 2,5
sugar beet leaves 12% 4,5 0,5
micro-algae 50% 15 7,5
duckweed 30% 25 7,5
wheat 11% 10 1,1
Duckweed/algae: high in protein

29. Amino acid composition

30. Uptake of Nitrogen
Duckweed (inside)
25 ton dm/ha
30% = 7,5 ton protein/ha
1.2 ton N/ha
Duckweed (outside)
15 ton dm/ha
30% = 4,5 ton protein/ha
0.72 ton N/ha
Algae (tubes) 1 ha = 333 km tube with diameter of 6 cm
44 ton dm/ha
26.9 ton protein/ha (Chlorella)
4.22 ton N/ha
In comparison: Grass
10 ton dm/ha
2 ton protein/ha
0.314 ton N/ha

31. Configurations of algae tubes

32. Scale needed for recycling N
from liquid fraction
0.4 ha duckweed inside
10 ton dm, 3 ton protein, 0.48 ton N
5 ha duckweed pond outside
75 ton dm, 22.5 ton protein, 3.6 ton N
220 km algae tubes (diameter 6 cm)
29 ton dm, 17.7 ton protein, 2.8 ton N

33. Benefits ECOFERM
• Better production results
• Positive health effects
• Saving costs of manure disposal
• Revenues from organic fertilizer
• Saving feeding costs
• Energy production

35. • Management of duckweed and algae
• Growing conditions (light, CO2, temperature)
• Growth medium
• Harvesting
• Food safety aspects
• Regulatory aspects
• Environment
• Landscape
Challenges

36. Participants

37. Thank you for your attention!
QUESTIONS
Video on Youtube (10 minutes, subtitles)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
d7x5e9oKBJU