GREEN-SHED_BEIS

The global human population is expected to exceed 9 billion by 2050 with red meat consumption projected to increase by 88% above 2010 levels (World Resources Institute, 2018). Achieving this level of production, whilst reducing the environmental impact of ruminant livestock, represents a considerable challenge. Livestock farming, in particular ruminant production, is under continued political and social pressure to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) outputs. Rapid solutions to aid agriculture in reducing emissions are essential to achieving the UK's target of NET-ZERO GHG emissions by 2040 and supporting economic recovery.

This project will reduce the environmental impact of beef production by integrating a number of independently innovative technologies, in a multi-disciplinary approach, to produce a truly disruptive, integrated, low-carbon, circular farming operation.

The project aims to capture methane from housed cattle by using an integrated cattle and vertical farming system and renewable energy generation from the waste materials, to yield low-carbon produce (meat, vegetables/fruits) and optimise resource use efficiency. Currently no system exists to capture methane from housed cattle and utilises the outputs from the system. Thus, the proposed solution is significantly innovative. Nearest current state-of-the-art techniques for removing methane from air are performed using either animal-mounted systems for direct enteric emissions only, or using an anaerobic digester (AD) which only combats indirect emissions from waste and bedding.