Harpenden-based clean agtech startup EcoNomad Solutions has secured a £400,000 to help small livestock farms cut methane emissions, reduce rising energy and fertiliser costs, and turn organic waste into renewable energy.
Founded by UCL’s Dr Ilan Adler, EcoNomad has developed the BioNomad, a patented, scaled-down anaerobic digestion system designed for smaller agricultural holdings that are priced out of industrial-scale biogas infrastructure.
The system captures methane emissions, converting the output into biogas for on-farm heating, cooking, and electricity generation, while producing chemical-free liquid biofertiliser. According to the company, a typical holding of 50 cows can save several thousand pounds annually on energy and synthetic fertiliser inputs.
The technology has been installed across more than 10 UK farms and several sites in Africa, with additional pilot projects testing food waste, insect farming residues, and hybrid microgrid integrations combining biogas, solar, and wind power for electric vehicle charging.
“Small farms are under increasing pressure, yet they’re often excluded from the renewable energy solutions available to larger operators,” said Adler.
“The BioNomad is designed to make waste-to-energy accessible, affordable and practical for even the smallest farms, helping them reduce emissions, lower costs and build resilience.”
The investment included £230,000 from the British Design Fund alongside an Innovate UK Investor Partnership grant and additional support from existing investor Beeches Group.
“EcoNomad Solutions is addressing a major environmental and economic challenge with a solution that is both innovative and highly scalable,” said Damon Bonser, chief executive of the British Design Fund.
“Their approach to decentralised anaerobic digestion has the potential to deliver meaningful impact for small farms globally. We’re pleased to support Ilan and the team as they take this next step.”
