Open digestate stores can emit significant amounts of methane. Under the TA Luft, permitted biogas plants must, by 1 December 2026 at the latest, cut ammonia and odour emissions from non-gas-tight stores by at least 85%; a gas-tight cover is not mandatory to achieve this.
According to a calculation by the Nährwert research project, a gas-tight cover costs about €40,000 more than a simple cover; on a model 500 kW plant, the recovered methane would generate more than 100,000 kWh of electricity a year, with a payback of about 15 months with support.
The federal agriculture ministry funds up to 40% of eligible costs, capped at €300,000 per company and project, unless the cover is already required.
Summary written by databiomass with the help of AI tools and reviewed by an editor before publication. Our method
Suggested citation: databiomass.com, “Biogas: covering digestate storage – a 1 December 2026 deadline and up to 40% support”, 13 October 2026, based on FNR — Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe.