Cow dung or cow's waste has been traditionally used as fertilizer for crops because it is purely made of organic materials. But now, it is being used to power a tractor.
Agricultural company CNHA Industrial partnered with Bennamann, a company that specializes in methane energy products, to create this groundbreaking green-energy tractor.
As reported first by Interesting Engineering, the vehicle boasts 270 horsepower and is reported to have similar performance to diesel-powered tractors.
A tractor sprays stone dust in a field next to a pile of stone dust at the Vargem Dourada farm in Padre Bernardo, Goias State, Brazil, on May 19, 2022. - Fearing Russia's invasion of Ukraine will disrupt its crucial supply of fertilizer imports, Brazil´s agricultural sector is increasingly turning to natural alternatives, including remineralizers, or "agrominerals" -- pulverized, nutrient-rich rocks that are spread on fields before planting.
Significant Step
According to Chris Mann, co-founder of Bennamann, the T7 liquid methane-fueled tractor is a significant step toward decarbonizing the global farming sector and establishing a circular economy. The tractor's pre-production model has also undergone a year of testing to meet its target goals.
Carbon dioxide emissions decreased from 2,500 metric tons to 500 metric tons in one year after being tested on a farm in Cornwall County, South West England.
Waste from at least 100 cows was transformed into fugitive methane, which is now stored in a facility on the farm.
The cryogenic tank in the tractor produces the same amount of power as a diesel engine while significantly reducing emissions.
According to the company, it will increase agricultural sustainability and autonomy in contrast to a CNG design. The new tractor also boasts a fuel capacity that is four times better than the company's older model, the T6 Methane Power CNG.
Bennamann's cutting-edge non-venting cryogenic storage tanks for the T7 Methane Power LNG tractor preserve the methane as a liquid at -162°C, generating clean energy.
Furthermore, farms without the capability to manufacture LNG locally can still profit from its advantages due to the technology's potential to transfer LNG, just like diesel can be transferred. It also enables adaptable on-the-fly refueling during hectic operational periods.
World's First Tractor to Run on Liquid Methane
The T7 Methane Power LNG, the first tractor in the world to run on liquid methane, was introduced on December 9, 2022.
It signaled yet another significant turning point in the relationship between Bennamann and New Holland, a company that makes agricultural equipment and is a part of CNH Industrial.
Bennamann's innovative technology and technical know-how will be used to create the tractor's zero-venting fuel tank and the system for generating and storing liquid fugitive methane.
CNH's pre-production prototype features a stainless-steel cryogenic tank that is skillfully crafted to mimic its diesel counterparts. This design makes the most of the available space and effectively stores LNG inside a working tractor.
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