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As Europe rethinks fertilizer supply, a German biogas pilot turns waste into fertilizer nutrients

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2 months ago

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Finnish cleantech company NPHarvest has launched a pilot plant at Biogas Westerbakum GmbH & Co. KG in Lower Saxony, Germany, marking its entry into Europe’s largest biogas market. The demonstration unit will operate for 4 months and is designed to continuously process around 20 cubic meters per day of liquid digestate – the nutrient-rich by-product left after biogas production – and recover around 26 tonnes per year. The project allows operators to extract useful nutrients directly from side streams, turning digestate from a management cost into a commercial resource. As Germany tightens nutrient regulations under EU nitrate limits, the installation shows how biogas facilities can boost compliance while improving asset productivity.

The demo unit began operation on March 10, and was monitored through online data and routine laboratory analysis during the first month of operation. Initial results have also been cross-checked with an external laboratory in Oldenburg, showing results from external measurements consistent with NPHarvest’s internal analysis.

Under the EU’s Nitrates Directive, nitrogen application in vulnerable areas is limited to 170kg per hectare per year, and Germany has introduced stricter fertilizer regulations to reduce nutrient excesses and nitrate levels in groundwater. In a country with more than 9,700 biogas plants in operation, the sector is increasingly constrained by digestate expansion limits and rising transport costs, reshaping the economics of nutrient management. At the same time, the fertilizer market remains volatile, creating demand for locally produced nutrients. By recovering nitrogen and phosphorus directly from biogas side streams, NPHarvest allows operators to reduce excess while creating a salable product that would otherwise be a compliance burden.

“Biogas plants were designed to produce renewable energy, but they also create nutrient streams of high untapped value,” said Dr. Juho Uzkurt Kaljunen, CEO of NPHarvest. “We see nutrient recovery as a structural breakthrough for the sector, enabling operators to improve asset productivity without expanding their physical footprint. Germany sets the benchmark for biogas operations in Europe, and by integrating nutrient recovery into existing infrastructure, it has the opportunity to lead the next phase of the industry, where energy production and resource efficiency go hand in hand.”

© NPHarvest

Unlike many conventional nutrient recovery systems, which require energy-intensive unloading or long-distance transport, NPHarvest’s membrane-based process recovers nitrogen and phosphorus with low operational energy and simplified dosing, allowing for modular integration into existing biogas infrastructure. NPHarvest’s technology is capable of capturing up to 90% of nitrogen and phosphorus from liquid waste streams and converting them into key inputs for fertilizer production, including ammonium sulfate and calcium phosphate. During the first weeks of operation, the unit operated reliably under real digestate conditions, supporting the case for integration into existing biogas infrastructure. The system is offered as a plug-in to the existing infrastructure, without affecting the operation of the plant.

The German pilot is based on the company’s industrial-scale demonstration at a biogas plant in Ankara, Turkey, where the system validated its performance in a commercial operational environment.

Founded as a spinout of Aalto University, NPHarvest has secured €2.2 million in pre-funding from internal investors Nordic Foodtech VC and the Finnish Ministry of the Environment, and has recently been selected for an additional €1.2 million in support as part of Business Finland’s Deep Tech Accelerator program. In addition to the industrial-scale demonstration in Ankara, the company has validated its technology through field trials at the University of Helsinki’s Viikki research farm, where recovered nitrogen and phosphorus were compared to conventional synthetic fertilizers. Building on these milestones, NPHarvest is expanding into key European biogas markets, where regulatory pressure and cost of nutrient transport are accelerating demand for localized nutrient recovery solutions.

“The level of interest in this facility has been very encouraging. We have already seen a great deal of participation from operators and other industry players who see nutrient recovery as a practical answer to a growing challenge in the biogas sector,” said Milan Hofmann, managing director of Varea Water, NPHarvest’s regional project developer in Central Europe and the UK. “Plants are under increasing pressure to manage digestate more efficiently, and there is clearly a demand for solutions that can turn this burden into a useful product with economic value.”

“Greenhouse growers are particularly exposed to fertilizer cost and supply pressures, so the ability to recover nutrients locally is a very interesting development. Although this pilot is focused on biogas side streams, the broader implication is that a more circular and resilient input model of recovered nitrogen and phosphorus can also be applied to horticulture,” concludes Juho Uzkurt Kaljunen.

For more information:
NPHarvest
Email: (email protected)
npharvest.fi/

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Massachusetts CCC pauses license applications

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6 hours ago

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June 17, 2026

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The Cannabis Control Commission, the government body that oversees the marijuana business in the state of Massachusetts (USA), has decided to temporarily stop accepting new license applications for growing marijuana, both indoors and outdoors. This hiatus officially began on June 16, 2026.

Anyone planning to apply for a new marijuana cultivation license after June 16, 2026 will not be able to do so while this suspension is in effect. The Commission will not accept such requests during this period.

There are two groups that can continue normally. First, anyone who submitted an application before June 16, 2026, will continue to review and process applications as usual. Second, applicants for specific programs designed to help communities historically affected by drug laws, known as the Social Equity Program and the Economic Empowerment Program, are exempt from this suspension if they apply for a smaller-scale “Microenterprise” license.

The suspension will be in effect for 120 days from June 16, 2026, which is currently scheduled to be lifted around mid-October 2026. However, the Commission has the power to terminate earlier or extend further, depending on market conditions.

Source: Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission










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Federal Marijuana Rescheduling ‘Does Not Appear To Apply’ To Washington Businesses, State Officials Say

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6 hours ago

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June 17, 2026

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Marijuana regulators in Washington say the Trump administration’s move to re-regulate cannabis at the federal level “doesn’t appear to apply” to the state’s businesses.

US Department of Justice in April He issued an order that immediately reclassified the state’s licensed medical cannabisas well as marijuana products approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under Schedule I through Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). A trial scheduled for this month will take place consider marijuana III.

“Washington does not issue licenses to producers, processors or retailers of medical cannabis,” the state’s Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) said in guidelines released Tuesday. “Instead, Washington has a single recreational market and within that market producers/processors can manufacture (DOH) compliant products, and certain retailers can sell DOH-compliant products to adult patients and all designated providers.”

“Therefore, Washington cannabis licensees do not appear to qualify as ‘state medical marijuana licensees’ and therefore may not be eligible for registration under the final Rule,” the agency said, referring to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Registration process for legal marijuana businesses in the state to take advantage of the federal benefits that come with the reform.

That said, the LCB “does not take a position if licensees decide to apply for federal registration,” the guidance continues. “If a licensee is seeking federal registration, we would be interested in learning about their experience and federal decisions.”

However, “based on our analysis, the federal reorganization in its current form does not appear to apply to cannabis licensees in Washington, primarily because of the legal framework governing recreational cannabis,” the LCB said.

The agency emphasized, however, that while it has consulted with the Cannabis Regulatory Association, the National Governors Association and industry stakeholders, its current opinion does not represent Washington’s formal opinion and “may not be our final interpretation as information is evolving and the decision may not rest with the state.”

“We await additional guidance from the federal agencies involved, new or updated federal agency processes and/or other federal procedures,” he said. he saidreferring to the next administrative hearing and Ongoing litigation calls into question the rescheduling of cannabis.

“The LCB recognizes that there are many cannabis growers, processors, and retailers actively involved in the production and sale of medical cannabis in Washington. These businesses may or may not be eligible to use the 280e tax deduction, and may also register with the DEA III. Ultimately, they have no input into whether their licensees meet the criteria for “state medical marijuana licensees,” as that determination can be made unilaterally by the DOJ within the meaning of the Final Rule. to reasonably interpret and determine that Washington cannabis licensees qualify as “state medical marijuana licensees.”

The US Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said they plan to issued new tax guidelines for the marijuana industry after reprogramming. The reform will benefit state-licensed marijuana businesses by allowing them to take federal tax deductions that are currently prohibited under IRS Code Section III, known as Section 280E.

In California, regulators recently approved emergency rule changes to the state’s marijuana licensing process. to make it easier for companies to receive benefits In line with the Trump administration’s latest move to federally regulate medical cannabis.

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How New Zealand showed up in London’s cannabis industry

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1 day ago

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June 16, 2026

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The medical cannabis market is expected to grow from $47 billion to $149 billion by 2031, and New Zealand has a real role to play in that story. And thanks in large part to New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), the government’s international business development agency, Puro is starting to play.

At Cannabis Europa 2026 London, NZTE hosted an evening event at the City Arts Bar with Puro, New Zealand companies Bluelab, Rua Bioscience and CannFX. Puro called it The NZ Room.

Beyond all things Kiwiana – including Puro brand kiwifruit, Kiwi’d – the room was filled with some pretty amazing people: Ivy League scientists, company founders, patients, advocates, industry players, government officials, Maori tribal leaders and a tough Scotsman. All in the same space with the same true passion for where this industry is going.

It was one of those rooms where conversations went well when they had to end. That’s usually a sign of something well done.

Made possible by NZTE
For Puro, the NZTE relationship has been formative. With ongoing support, Puro has entered the Australian market with 47 unique product SKUs and signed a £7 million supply agreement with UK distributor IPS Pharma.

NZTE understands the potential of the New Zealand cannabis industry. The willingness to support this nascent industry and put New Zealand in the spotlight at events like Cannabis Europa is very significant. New Zealand is a small country and the country’s credibility in international markets is built from relationship to relationship, room by room. NZTE helps build those rooms.

© Cigar

what’s next
For the first time, patients in the UK have access to medicinal cannabis grown in New Zealand. That’s the direct result of years of work by Puro’s team, but it’s not worth much if you can’t connect with buyers globally. Creating international relationships that events like Cannabis Europa make this possible.

“We are grateful for the extensive support from the New Zealand Government that drives our progress, including the Ministry of Primary Industries’ support for our genetic breeding, product innovation and market access goals. This collective effort from agencies such as the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, NZTE and the New Zealand Export Credit Bureau ensures that Mail that started in London will continue to grow in Puro’s international goals,” he said. a statement

For more information:
clean
www.puro.co.nz

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