New Holland T6 Methane Tractor
Remmert's 450-hectare (1,100-acre) La Bellotta farm has been testing a second-generation prototype of what will be the first tractor to run on methane, the T6 by New Holland Agriculture.
Methane would be 30 percent cheaper than diesel. And for farms that produce their own bio-methane, the costs of fuel would drop to nothing. Bio-methane is a type of gas that is produced by the processing of organic waste—something farms have a lot of.
The methane-run T6 would hit production in about five years, according to New Holland, which is a subsidiary of CNH Industrial NV, a company spun off from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV.
Beyond cost savings, the new technology would be more environmentally friendly. The prototype produces 80 percent less pollution than a standard diesel tractor and would help fulfill future EU greenhouse gas targets, which are expected to require a 20 percent reduction across Europe by 2020.
Carlo Lambro, the brand chief at New Holland Agriculture, said the methane tractor, launched at the Milan Expo 2015 world's fair focused on food security, requires little industrial investment to convert the normal diesel engine.
Turning cow poo into power is profitable for US farm
Farmer Ryan Rogers checks on a generator at Homestead Dairy in Plymouth, Indiana, which invested in a biogas recovery system which transforms cow manure and other waste into enough electricity to power 1,000 homes
While US farmers may balk at the initial cost—a system like the one at Homestead would run around $6 million—Fenton said it's a good investment. Most farms can pay it off and start making a profit within three to five years.
