Methane reduction technology demonstrated at a Danish dairy farm trial by Ambient Carbon.

In a groundbreaking development for the fight against climate change, Ambient Carbon's Methane Eradication Photochemical System (MEPS) has demonstrated its effectiveness in a field trial at the Hofmansgave Foundation farm in Denmark.

The system, which not only destroys methane but also removes ammonia and odours while generating a fertiliser by-product, has the potential to significantly reduce methane emissions in sectors where they are on the rise, such as agricultural biogas plants and wastewater treatment facilities.

Methane, with a global warming potential 84 times greater than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Livestock account for around 30% of human-caused emissions, making the reduction of methane emissions a critical component of climate change mitigation strategies.

The MEPS system uses a gas-phase photochemical process that combines chlorine atoms and UV light in a reaction chamber. The chlorine atoms used in the MEPS system are produced onsite via electrolysis of saltwater and are recycled in a closed system after most of the methane is cleaned up.

The test confirmed the technology's scalability, moving beyond its laboratory prototype. Chris Williams, Conservation Lead at Benton Dairies, stated that MEPS is a non-invasive technology that effectively removes methane from farms. Dave Kenney, CEO of Ambient Carbon, stated that the field demonstration validates their approach and shows the potential for widespread adoption across the agricultural sector.

The project was backed by dairy company Danone North America and Benton Dairies, with the PERMA Project consortium, including dairy giant Arla, the University of Copenhagen, Aarhus University, and climate tech business SKOV, providing further support. Jessie Copeland, Head of Regenerative Agriculture at Danone North America, expressed enthusiasm for further collaborations with Ambient Carbon.

The International Energy Agency has estimated leakage rates of methane emissions at agricultural biogas plants between 2% and 5.5%, and as high as 8% at wastewater treatment facilities. The Global Methane Initiative is targeting reductions across agriculture and municipal wastewater, making the MEPS system a timely innovation.

Ambient Carbon collaborates within the PERMA project consortium to deploy the MEPS technology in dairy barns beyond Denmark. The next phase involves scaling up with a larger, fully automated system funded by Danone, with plans tailored to different barn sizes and methane levels for other countries such as North America. Ambient Carbon suggests that the MEPS system could be deployed at covered manure storage facilities, biogas plants, and wastewater treatment plants.

Matthew Johnson, co-founder and CSO of Ambient Carbon, stated that chlorine is the Achilles heel of methane in the system. The removal of methane, ammonia, and odours, coupled with the generation of a fertiliser by-product, makes the MEPS system a promising solution for sustainable agriculture and climate change mitigation.

Methane reduction technology demonstrated at a Danish dairy farm trial by Ambient Carbon.