Digital & AI

AI and data: what they can change on a biogas plant.

Precision agriculture is moving from managing a plot to managing each plant or animal. The same logic is reaching anaerobic digestion: use the data a plant already produces to anticipate incidents and organise resources better.

The starting point: precision agriculture

From plot to plant

Instead of one rule for a whole plot, a model can suggest a different fertiliser rate in each zone of the same field, from satellite images, soil measurements and forecasts.

From herd to animal

Sensors can flag a cow whose behaviour departs from her own normal, rather than applying the same rule to the whole herd.

Anticipating, not reacting

Crossing images, soil moisture and weather lets a farm adjust irrigation before a crop shows water stress.

Five uses on a methanisation plant

Process monitoring

Predictive follow-up of the digester: early detection of drifts in pH, temperature, organic loading or biogas output.

Open the diagnosis tool →

Feedstock planning

Better scheduling of cover crops, manure, residues and co-products according to availability, cost and methane yield.

Feedstock reference values →

Predictive maintenance

Spotting anomalies on pumps, agitators, the CHP engine or the upgrading unit before a costly breakdown.

Commercial steering

Production forecasts, management of injection contracts and trade-offs between self-consumption, injection and heat use.

Logistics

Optimising collection rounds and substrate storage, to cut costs and the emissions that go with them.

Before you start: precautions

Start from reliable data: calibrated sensors, regular lab analyses and a clean logbook matter more than the algorithm.
An alert is a prompt to check, not an order. The operator decides, and safety instrumentation (gas detection, pressure protection, ATEX zones) never depends on a prediction tool.
Check who owns the data and where it is hosted (GDPR, contract with the supplier), and secure remote access to the control system.
Test on a limited scope first, compare with your own measurements, and keep a manual fallback.

This page presents general directions, not a recommendation of any product, and no performance figure is claimed. Needs vary from one plant to another.