CNH, the agricultural machinery manufacturer, envisions that agriculture can produce its own fuel for tractors, sequester more CO₂ than it emits, and even generate revenue by selling energy. This vision has already become a reality in the UK.
CNH Group, which owns the agricultural machinery brands Case IH and New Holland, has been exploring alternative drive systems for tractors for quite some time. They introduced the first methane gas tractor in series production a few years ago. Recently, they went a step further by unveiling a prototype tractor powered by liquefied methane gas (LNG) instead of compressed methane gas (CNG). The company seems committed to gas propulsion and is acquiring a firm that specializes in LNG.
Energy self-sufficient agriculture that stores carbon
CNH Industrial has acquired a majority stake in Bennamann, a UK-based company that provides solutions for capturing, separating, reusing, and storing fugitive methane emissions for energy production. Bennamann’s technology enables farms to store more carbon than they produce, thereby promoting a circular economy in agriculture. This acquisition reflects CNH Industrial’s commitment to sustainable farming practices and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the agriculture industry.
LNG tractor already in operation on the farm
CNH is currently conducting a pilot operation in the UK to research “fugitive emissions” from agriculture, which is essentially biogas from animal waste. The biogas is purified into biomethane and then compressed (CNG) or liquefied (LNG). Both CNG and LNG can be utilized as fuel for vehicles or to produce electricity for households and farms.
Methane gas tractor is carbon negative
The collaboration between Bennamann and CNH Industrial aims to achieve energy independence for farms, decrease expenses on fuel and fertilizers, and create additional revenue streams. CNH highlights the New Holland T7 Methane Power LNG prototype tractor as an illustration of the system’s effectiveness, as it becomes carbon negative during operation when utilizing the Bennamann system.
Self-sufficient farming with liquid methane gas?
According to Derek Neilson, who is the President of Agriculture at CNH Industrial, this system has the potential to transform farms into small-scale power plants, enabling them to satisfy their own energy requirements, create their own fertilizers, and sell any surplus gas on the open market. Additionally, they will be able to generate their own electricity.
Agriculture as CO2 store
CNH claims that farms utilizing their technology with 120 cows can reduce the carbon dioxide equivalent of 100 households in Western Europe, which is approximately 780 tons per year.
Why does CNH rely on liquefied methane?
CNH considers liquefied methane to be a suitable solution due to its high energy density, ease of storage, and distribution. Compared to hydrogen and compressed natural gas, it is a more practical substitute for fossil fuels in applications that require high power. Even in remote areas, such as construction sites, it can serve as an effective alternative.