It was a real pleasure to present Terraforming LIFE and learn about other exciting initiatives at the recent conference Biogas and Fertilizer Production: Opportunities for Icelandic Agriculture, held at Hotel Selfoss last week. A broad group of stakeholders gathered to explore diverse projects related to biogas and fertilizer production.

The program was wide-ranging, covering proposed projects in Dysnes by Eyjafjörður and in Reykholt in Biskupstungur, among others. We also gained valuable insights into Sweden’s experience with establishing small-scale biogas plants, and how farmers in the Faroe Islands are using digestate as fertilizer.

Representatives from Sorpa, which operates the only biogas plant currently running in Iceland, presented their work, and the Rector of the Agricultural University of Iceland spoke about the educational and research needs in this field. The agenda also included discussions on financing opportunities, and a representative from the Icelandic Farmers Association emphasized the potential of utilizing agricultural by-products. The conference was moderated by Margrét Á. Sigurðardóttir, Managing Director of the Farmers Association of Iceland.

The event was well attended, with around 140 registered participants joining in person or via livestream. The strong interest in the topic was clear—biogas and fertilizer production hold significant potential to increase the sustainability of Icelandic agriculture and strengthen national food security by reducing reliance on imported fertilizers and fuels.

To wrap up the event, participants came together to support the following resolution.

“Biogas and fertilizer processing brings multiple benefits for the environment, the economy, public authorities, and society as a whole. The biogas projects currently in development have greatly contributed to our understanding of the challenges and opportunities present in Iceland, and their transferability is considerable. To realize the full potential of these projects, strong cooperation is needed between the Ministry of Food, the Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Climate, farmers’ associations, municipalities, and processing facilities.“

The conference was organized by Orkídea and Eimur with support from Landsvirkjun. 

📺 A recording of the conference is available on YouTube for those who wish to explore the content further.