Moisture is one of the biggest challenges in getting value from biogas digestate, but it can also be the key to unlocking its real potential. Across Europe, large agricultural cooperatives and regional biomethane hubs handle thousands of tons of wet anaerobic digestion residue every year. Moving and storing this material is expensive and restricted by strict spreading windows. With the right digestate drying process, that same wet residue can be transformed into a high‑quality organic fertilizer that supports modern nutrient recycling.
The moisture challenge in biogas digestate
Wet digestate creates heavy, bulky and time‑sensitive loads. It demands large storage volumes and frequent transport, and farmers can only apply it during limited spreading periods. As a result, many producers pay high logistics costs and risk wasting nutrients they could otherwise recover and reuse. Digestate drying tackles these issues directly by removing water and stabilizing the material.
How digestate drying reduces costs and increases flexibility
When you remove most of the water, drying can cut total mass by up to 70%. This reduction means lower transport costs, smaller storage requirements and more flexibility in when and where you apply nutrients. Drier, more stable material is easier to handle and plan for, which helps cooperatives and biomethane hubs optimize both operations and cash flow. Instead of managing a waste problem, you manage a predictable fertilizer resource.
Superheated steam digestate drying with ExergyPSSD®
With Exergy’s superheated steam drying system (ExergyPSSD®), digestate drying become a circular and energy‑efficient process. The technology uses superheated steam in a closed loop to both dry and sterilize the digestate. This approach minimizes emissions, recovers energy and produces a stable, sterilized product that can be safely stored or used all year round. The result is a robust digestate drying solution that fits into modern, integrated biogas and biomethane plants.
