A New Holland prototype tractor that runs on bio-methane produced by waste from dairy cows has been tested by British farmers this week.
The tractor has the potential to reduce polluting emissions by 80 per cent and offer farmers savings in fuel costs, according to the company
Wyke Farms – one of the UK’s biggest cheddar producers, and Worthy Farm, home to Glastonbury Festival, are both testing the tractor.
Able to run entirely on bio-methane derived from waste and produced by on-farm biogas (anaerobic digester) plants it could reduce emissions and offer fuel cost savings of between 25 and 40pc.
Wyke Farms in Somerset is passionate about its ‘100pc Green’ initiative and the farm’s biogas plant plays a big part in meeting its sustainability objectives, with three large anaerobic digesters producing electricity for the farm and factory.
The farm runs three electric cars and in the future could run its tankers on compressed natural gas (CNG) produced by the biogas plant.
Having a compression plant on-site would also give Wyke Farms the opportunity to invest in tractors powered by methane – giving them complete energy independence on the farm.
The natural gas (methane) powered tractor has been developed by New Holland as a 100pc sustainable solution to the increasing cost of fuel.
Not only that, but as the number of on-farm biogas plants in the UK increases, there could be an ample supply of fuel on the doorstep.
The methane tractor borrows from commercial vehicle technology already used by its sister brand, Iveco.
The use of compressed natural gas in vans, trucks and buses is well developed and limited only by storage capacity on the vehicle.
The company has managed to squeeze 300 litres (52kg) of compressed methane into nine tanks around the tractor; enough for around six hours of work depending on the type of activity.
Refuelling is quick, taking around the same time to fill as diesel.
Roger Clothier, Wyke Farms’ farm director who is testing the prototype tractor said it looked and felt like a normal tractor.
“It easily managed to tow a full slurry tanker up and down the hills here – with a combined tractor and tanker weight of 27 tonnes.
“We need fuel efficient vehicles with a good power to weight ratio to pull heavy tanks around the farm – the tractor has the power to do it and if we’re able to compress our gas on-site it looks like it could save us money.
“In the future, sharing of gas power between local farms could be a possibility, particularly where you have a big plant like ours,” he said.
Providing a local filling point for neighbouring farms makes economic sense and the associated savings from methane-powered tractors could help dairy farmers reduce their costs, which can only be a good thing.”
Adapting existing engine technology, fitting a small three-way catalytic converter and housing it within a standard tractor chassis and cab means that that the methane tractor looks and drives just like a diesel-powered tractor, and the cost of buying one should be about the same.
After a week of testing in the UK, the tractor will tour other European markets where it will undergo further testing and evaluation before returning to its home in Italy at La Bellotta, New Holland’s ‘Energy Independent Farm’, where the company has been working towards its Clean Energy Leader strategy for the past 10 years.
