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/

“Almost all of our neighbors have legalized marijuana and it’s benefiting from hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity and revenue.”

By John Cole, The Center Square

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) believes the Trump administration took an “important step” Thursday after redefining how the federal government classifies medical marijuana.

US Attorney General Todd Blanche issued an order immediately FDA approved marijuana products and Marijuana regulated by state medical licenses III of the Controlled Substances Act.

“Governor Shapiro has made it clear that we need to move forward — nearly all of our residents have legalized marijuana and are benefiting from hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity and revenue — and this important step by the federal government only adds support to the Governor’s proposal,” Shapiro spokeswoman Rosie Lapowsky told The Center Square. “The Shapiro Administration stands ready to seize this opportunity to work with the General Assembly to legalize marijuana and make our Commonwealth more competitive and fair.”

Since 1970, along with marijuana, heroin, LSD and ecstasy, it has been classified as a Schedule I drug. This designation defined them as drugs with no approved medical use and a high potential for abuse.

Schedule III drugs are defined as having a moderate or low potential for physical and psychological dependence. Some examples of Schedule III drugs are products containing less than 90 milligrams of codeine per dosage unit (Tylenol with codeine), ketamine, anabolic steroids, and testosterone.

The Trump administration’s decision on Thursday moves medical marijuana from one of the more restricted drug classifications to an unregulated category and gives cannabis businesses a tax break. However, it is exempt from federal legislation.

In April 2016, then-Gov. Tom Wolf (D) signed the legislation making Pennsylvania the 24th state to create a medical marijuana program.

Shapiro announced his support for legalizing recreational marijuana In 2019, he was serving his first term as state attorney general.

Since being elected governor in 2022, he has called on lawmakers to pass an adult-use program, even as the supposed tax revenue is included in all of his budget plans. If approved on July 1, the administration believes the legalization would raise $729 million.

U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa. He has been an advocate for the legalization of marijuana and celebrated the decision taken by the Trump administration.

“John has been a lifelong supporter of legal weed,” a spokesperson for Fetterman told The Center Square. “It’s a good step forward and he supports it.”

NORML, the National Organization for Marijuana Law Reform, has given Shapiro and Fetterman an “A+” grade for their support of marijuana legalization.

However, U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa., has seen things differently in the past. In December, he signed a joint letter with 21 Senate Republican colleagues opposing the Trump administration’s reclassification of the drug.

“Scheduling marijuana as a Schedule III drug will undermine your strong efforts to make America Great Again and usher in America’s next economic Golden Age,” the senators wrote in their letter to the Trump administration. “The only winners from the renegotiation will be the bad actors, such as Communist China, who will leave Americans footing the bill.”

In a telephone town hall that same month, McCormick described himself as a “strong advocate for the use of medicinal marijuana,” but said at the time that he was “opposed to moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III.”

However, McCormick did not respond to The Center Square’s request for comment Thursday about his thoughts on the Trump administration’s latest move.

Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity, who is seeking the GOP nomination for governor, also did not respond to The Center Square’s request for comment.

FOX43 reported in August 2025 that Garrity said he did not have a firm policy position on the issue, but cautioned against lawmakers claiming his financial benefits.

“The amount of money they had in the budget, I would say it’s way too much,” Garrity said, according to FOX43. “I don’t have a policy position on that, but I will tell you if they pass the legislation, I’m going to make sure it’s properly bankrolled.”

Organizations in Pennsylvania and beyond have also weighed in on the Trump administration’s latest move.

“Today’s order marks a historic reversal in federal cannabis policy,” said NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano. “It validates the experiences of tens of millions of Americans, as well as tens of thousands of doctors, who have long recognized the legitimate medical utility of cannabis, as well as the legitimacy of longstanding cannabis access programs available in most US states.”

“It wasn’t long ago that federal officials were denying that cannabis had legitimate medical utility, were confiscating doctors’ licenses for discussing medical cannabis with patients, and were shutting down state-licensed marijuana dispensaries,” he added. “Now the government wants to integrate these programs into the existing federal and international framework for regulating substances with recognized medical value.”

The PA Family Institute sees the issue differently. They said they are disappointed with the Trump administration’s decision.

“The PA Family Institute is disappointed with the Trump Administration’s decision to provide significant tax breaks to the marijuana industry and protect this non-addictive industry,” said Dan Bartkowiak, Chief Strategy Officer of the Pennsylvania Family Institute. “Big Marijuana should not be allowed to more easily direct new consumers to harmful marijuana products.”

“In Pennsylvania, the recreational use of marijuana remains illegal, a policy that until now has been maintained by sensible PA Senate leaders. Maintaining this people-first policy helps avoid many of the public health and safety challenges seen in other states,” he added. “Evidence continues to link marijuana use, especially among youth, to increased emergency room visits, mental health concerns, and negative impacts on families and communities.”

A majority of Pennsylvanians think the government should go further, at least according to one poll.

A recent poll by Susquehanna Polling and Research showed 72 percent of Democrats, 67 percent of Republicans and 64 percent of independents Supporting the legalization of recreational marijuana in Pennsylvania.

However, due to the Trump administration’s recent decision, marijuana that is not sold through a state medical program or approved by the FDA remains Schedule I.

40 states have approved medical marijuana programs, and 24 states and Washington, DC, have legalized adult recreational use.

This story was first published by The Center Square.

Village Farms opened its new cannabis facility this morning in Groningen, the Netherlands, a building designed from the ground up around the crop, with an aroma system so precisely calibrated, the surrounding businesses could stand next to a tomato grower.

Dutch roots run deeper than the board members’ accents might suggest. The company’s relationship with the Netherlands goes back many years, and the Groningen location is an extension of the work begun in Drachten, where Village Farms began farming last year using practices carried over from its Canadian operations. The new facility is where that learning is applied at scale.

“Nearly four decades ago, we started bringing Dutch technology to North America. We’ve always worked with Dutch partners, and many of our producers and engineers are Dutch or have Dutch heritage. It’s like coming home.”

© Arlette Sijmonsma | MMJDaily.com

Village Farms entered the Dutch market through its majority-owned subsidiary Leli Holland, which holds one of ten licenses granted by the Dutch government to legally produce recreational cannabis and distribute it to participating cafes.

Once fully ramped up, Village Farms anticipates a production capacity of around 10 tonnes in the Netherlands, enough to quintuple its production for the Dutch cannabis trial and position the company for wider access to the European market. Orville Bovenschen, President of Canadian Cannabis and Leli Holland and Mike DeGiglio, CEO and founder, highlighted their confidence in the Dutch market, as well as growing in Europe. “We believe in the power of cannabis.”

© Arlette Sijmonsma | MMJDaily.com

Village Farms started its Dutch farming operations in the nearby town of Drachten last year, using farming practices developed through its Canadian experience to set up the facility. The new Groningen location represents a continuation and improvement of this established direction, with the building completely designed around the cultivation requirements. Special attention was paid to the odor control system, ensuring that nearby businesses could be located next to a tomato plant.

The opening featured an artwork by local artist Ben that reflects the company’s history: strong roots in vegetables and a future in cannabis.

More technical details to follow on Monday!

© Arlette Sijmonsma | MMJDaily.com

© Arlette Sijmonsma | MMJDaily.com

© Arlette Sijmonsma | MMJDaily.com