fbpx
Print this page
Wednesday, 01 December 2021 09:55

New tech eliminates effluent's methane emissions

Written by 
Lincoln University professors Hong Di, left, and Keith Cameron with Ravensdown's Carl Ahfield. The team responsible for the Cleartech effluent management system has now unveiled EcoPond, claimed to be a breakthrough in methane mitigation. Supplied. Tony Stewart/Photoshots Lincoln University professors Hong Di, left, and Keith Cameron with Ravensdown's Carl Ahfield. The team responsible for the Cleartech effluent management system has now unveiled EcoPond, claimed to be a breakthrough in methane mitigation. Supplied. Tony Stewart/Photoshots

Ravensdown has unveiled new methane mitigating technology that it claims virtually eliminates the methane emitted from effluent ponds.

Ponds are the second largest source of methane on a dairy farm – behind direct emissions from the animals themselves. Ravensdown says its Eco- Pond system could cut total farm emissions by 4% to 5%.

It also reduces odour and risk of phosphate loss from pond effluent when spread on farm.

EcoPond was unveiled recently at Lincoln University’s Dairy Research Farm. It is an offshoot of Ravensdown’s award-winning ClearTech effluent recovery system and was developed in conjunction with the same team of Lincoln University’s Professor Hong Di and Emeritus Professor Keith Cameron.

The automated “plug and play” in-line system can be retrofitted to existing ponds and uses the same ferric sulphate additive as ClearTech, metered into the pond by a computer-controlled pump and mixing system.

Cameron says the larger the pond, the more micro-organisms there are in the pond to generate methane.

“This new system has been tested in the lab and at farm scale, where it proves enormously effective at essentially nullifying the methane-creating process.”

Di adds that EcoPond reduces the risk of Dissolved Reactive Phosphate loss to water by up to 99%.

The EcoPond is available for farmers to use now. Ravensdown general manager innovation and strategy Mike Manning says the New Zealand dairy sector is already a world leader in carbon emissions efficiency, but the country has set a 10% target of biogenic methane reduction by 2030.

“This new tool in the farmer’s toolbox has the benefit of robust science behind it and will assist farmers who want to start tracking towards that target now,” he says.

More like this

Fert use tumbles as prices spike

Fertiliser use in New Zealand over the 18 months is about 25% down from what it consistently was for the previous decade or more, says Ravensdown chief operating officer Mike Whitty.

Featured

Dairy sheep and goat turmoil

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.

Hurry up and slow down!

OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.

Editorial: Passage to India

OPINION: Even before the National-led coalition came into power, India was very much at the fore of its trade agenda.

National

Knowing bugs means fewer drugs

A mastitis management company claims to deliver the fastest and most accurate mastitis testing available at scale for New Zealand…

Machinery & Products

100 years of Farmall Tractors

Returning after an enforced break, the Wheat and Wheels Rally will take place on the Lauriston -Barhill Road, North-East of…

JD unveils its latest beast

John Deere has unveiled its most powerful tractor ever, with the launch of the all new 9RX Series Tractor line-up…

Biggest Quadtrac coming to NZ!

In the biggest announcement that Case IH Australia/New Zealand has made around its tractor range, its biggest tractor is about…

A different shade of blue for Norwood

Norwood and ARGO Tractors, the Italian manufacturer of Landini and McCormick tractors, have announced an agreement that gives Norwood exclusive…

Kubota tests diesel engines

Kubota last month used the UK LAMMA Show to test the water with its new 200hp, four-cylinder 09-series diesel engines.