⏱ 2 min read
Background
Methane warms the atmosphere far more than carbon dioxide, even though it stays there for a shorter time. Cattle farming produces about one third of methane emissions from human activity. In barns, the gas is highly diluted, below 5%, which makes it hard to capture profitably.
The key points
Start-up Sixteen44, based at EPFL Innovation Park in Lausanne, has tested a device that eliminates methane directly in cow barns. The trial took place at the Strickhof experimental farm in Lindau, in the canton of Zurich. According to the company, it is the world’s first demonstration plant able to treat such diluted methane.
The device converts methane into water and carbon dioxide through plasma oxidation, accelerated by a catalyst. It operates at around 40 °C, compared with 400 to 500 °C for other technologies, which reduces its energy use. According to its co-founder William Ramsay, it cut methane in the test barn by 60 to 70%.
Key figures
- 60 to 70% : methane reduction in the test barn, according to Sixteen44
- 40,000 to 50,000 francs : cost of a device for a medium-sized Swiss barn, according to the company
- CHF 750,000 raised to date; target of1 million more
- 12 % : share of methane in Switzerland’s greenhouse gas emissions
What it means for businesses
- Farms : the company is considering certified carbon credits, which could become a source of income for farmers
- Infrastructure operators : Sixteen44 is also targeting landfills, wastewater treatment plants and coal mines
Who says what
- Cyril Brunner (greenhouse gas specialist, ETH Zurich): the technology could make a meaningful contribution if developed further
What's next
- Tests in a large barn and at a Swiss wastewater treatment plant, then expansion in Europe, starting with the Netherlands
Further reading
Sources
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