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Diasabra, 09 October 2021
How is artificial lightning helping
cows cut their carbon emissions?
Plasma guns might sound like something out of a
sci-fi film, but this space age technology could be
coming to a farm near you.
A Norwegian firm has designed a revolutionary
new way to fire artificial lightning at cow dung.
Research and tests on Holly Head Farm in
Berkshire, England, show that firing plasma at
cow poo reduces methane emissions by 99 per
cent.
The artificial rays also reduce levels of ammonia,
another potent cow emission, by 90 per cent.
How does artificial lightning work?
Created by Norwegian firm N2 Applied, The N2
Unit is a large piece of machinery into which cow
slurry (a mixture of manure and water) is fed.
The unit fixes nitrogen from the air (a process
where naturally occurring nitrogen combines
with other elements to create more reactive
nitrogen) by firing a bolt of plasma at the slurry,
which splits the nitrogen and oxygen atoms.
The nitrogen oxide atoms are then absorbed by
the slurry, which stabilises the ammonium and
stops it releasing, while also eliminating methane
loss.
This leaves the slurry packed full of nitrogen, one
of the essential nutrients for healthy soil. It can
then be spread on fields to help boost crop growth
and protect soil fertility.
Reducing air pollution
Cutting down on farmyard ammonia has the
knock-on effect of reducing air pollution in cities
too.
Due to its prevalence, drifts of air-borne ammonia
travel on the wind to cities, where they bind to
air particulates from car tyres, exhaust pipes and
household gas boilers.
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INTERN A TION AL
Artificial lightning can help reduce ammonia by 90
per cent - Copyright Canva
With air pollution in the UK alone responsible for
40,000 premature deaths a year, reducing ammonia
emissions on farms is a step in the right direction.
Who pays for this technology?
While farmers could save money on fertiliser due to
the nitrogen in the slurry, who will pay for the plasma
process?
The UK government has committed to reducing
ammonia emissions under the Gothenburg Protocol
and the National Emissions Ceiling Regulations, with
a commitment to reduce emissions by 16 per cent by
2030, based on 2005 levels.
Whether there will be government subsidies to pay
for the technology needed for plasma fixing and other
emission-busting schemes, is yet to be announced.
When combined with research carried out in Sweden
that reduces the methane emissions of cows by
introducing seaweed feed, this technology shows real
promise in helping farmers reduce their impact on
global warming.
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