Six Northern Ireland companies have been awarded a total of £600,000 to develop practical and environmentally friendly solutions for livestock slurry.
The firms are seeking to reduce surplus phosphorus and ensure efficient recycling of organic nutrients within agriculture whilst contributing to climate targets.
The six projects commenced in February 2023 and are due to be completed by July.
During this time, the companies are seeking to develop viable solutions where livestock slurry can be separated with minimal nitrogen and methane losses in a biosecure manner for energy production.
Nutrients remaining post energy production will also be suitably processed to provide a replacement for artificial fertiliser for use in NI or for export.
Funding is being provided by the Department for the Economy’s Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) and the Department of Agriculture's Green Growth Fund.
The £600k SBRI funding will be used by the companies to create "practical and economically viable models" for the industry, the government said.
Nutrients remaining post energy production will also be "suitably processed to provide a replacement for artificial fertiliser for use in NI or for export".
DAERA’s director of green growth, Claire Cockerill said “This SBRI funding is an excellent example of Green Growth in action and a demonstration of government and industry working to deliver climate action solutions.
"I very much hope that this feasibility funding will lead to practical and environmentally sustainable solutions for the use of livestock slurry.”
The six companies have each been awarded £100,000 to develop this work and are due to complete their projects in the summer.
