Goal:
The goal of the project is to develop a strategy for reducing methane emissions from liquid manure storage tanks.
Manure management accounts for a third of the methane emissions from Danish farms. The project will develop a mitigation strategy, using a novel ventilation control system to stimulate microbial methane oxidation in covered tanks with a surface crust.
Plan:
The project is expected to run for 2½ years.
A prototype ventilation system will be developed and installed on a full-scale storage tank. Technical solutions to preserve the surface crust during tank filling and emptying will be developed as necessary.
Samples of crust material will be taken from tanks with and without a cover and ventilation control to investigate their microbiology and physical-chemical properties, including the composition and distribution of methane-oxidising bacteria.
Over a 12-month period, the project will monitor methane emissions from tanks with and without dynamic ventilation control. Carbon isotope ratios of methane and carbon dioxide will be analysed regularly to document methane removal from the crust.
Expected results:
The prototype ventilation system is expected to eliminate around two-thirds of the methane emissions – or 0.3 million tons of CO2 equivalents – from stored manure. As the proposed technology does not involve additives, it will be suitable for use in organic farming if validated.
The project partners own the right to further development of commercial products.
