Life cycle assessment of digestate post-treatment and utilization

Digestate, a nutrient-rich by-product of biogas production, can be used to make fertilizers and recycle nutrients in agriculture. This study compared the environmental impacts of three options: direct application to soil, separation into liquid and solid fractions, and advanced treatment using drying and membrane filtration. All three offered climate benefits, while advanced treatment reduced acidification impacts but required more fossil resources. These findings highlight the potential of digestate treatment to manage excess nutrients and replace mineral fertilizers, while balancing environmental benefits and resource use.