Animal methane capture and power generation. Agricultural operations have been shaping the landscape and the way of life in the Dutch Provinces of North Brabant and Limburg for several hundred years. Until today, this is a mostly rural region with relatively little heavy industry, where agro-swine industry still plays the significant role. Indeed, these provinces house the majority of swine farms in Holland. This concentration of livestock has already led to a situation in which the complete manure cannot be disposed off on fields in the region any more due to the reached nitrogen absorption limit of the soil.

Agricultural operations have been shaping the landscape and way of life in the Dutch Provinces of North Brabant and Limburg for several hundred years. These mostly rural regions continue to house a significant agro-swine industry, with the majority of swine farms in Holland found there. However, the concentration of livestock led to a situation where the complete manure could not be disposed of on fields in the region due to the reached nitrogen absorption limit of the soil. 

Key Highlights:
- An innovative solution was implemented to capture methane emissions from livestock and convert them into power.
- The methane capture system operates using a closed-covered lagoon, which collects the gas emitted from the manure and then transports it to a generator to produce energy.
- The project provides clean energy to power over 2,500 homes and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by over 30,000 metric tons annually.

This project has important implications for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that is 28 times more powerful than carbon dioxide in its ability to trap heat in the atmosphere. By capturing and converting methane emissions from livestock, this project reduces the overall carbon footprint of the agro-swine industry, while also providing clean energy to power homes. This project demonstrates the potential for innovative solutions to address climate change while also supporting local communities.

Thermal energy production with or without electricity

Methane recovery in animal manure management systems

Methane Recovery Project Praktijkcentrum Sterksel, North Brabant, The Netherlands

This project in North Brabant and Limburg captures methane emissions from animal waste in the agro-swine industry and converts it into renewable energy. With a high concentration of swine farms in these provinces, the excess manure had reached nitrogen absorption limits of the soil, making this project crucial for reducing harmful emissions and managing waste.