Sustainable and Improved
Dairy and Meat Production
Bacterially Enriched Feed to Dramatically Reduce Methane Emission from Cows
In Denmark, agriculture is accountable for 80% of the methane emission. And with methane’s CO2 equivalent of 20-25 (meaning it’s impact on global warming is 20-25 times larger than CO2) there is a large scope and call for an effective way to combat this.
In collaboration with technology and development partners, GreenCow Biosolutions is on a mission to reduce ruminants’ methane emission and enhance milk yield in dairy production.
Our proposed way of doing this is simple and scalable on a global level: We add a methanotrophic bacterium – unharmful to human and animal – to the feed. And while reducing the methane emission the process also produces valuable by-products.
UN World Goals
Creating Breakthrough CO2e Reductions
UN states(1) that a temperature reduction of 0.2○ C from 2.0○ C to 1.8○ C requires a reduction from 41 to 35 GtCO2e before 2030, i.e. a reduction of 6 GtCO2e.
Worldwide, agriculture accounts for around 11% of the emission of greenhouse gases, and of this again 40% caused by ungulates, of which cattle account for 80%. Cattle thus account for around 3.5% worldwide of the emission of greenhouse gases in equivalence units. In comparison, the emissions of greenhouse gases from Denmark accounted for just over 0.1 gigatons of the World’s total emissions in 2018 of 55.3 gigatons, corresponding to just under 0.2% when international transport is considered, and just over 0.1% when international transport is not included.
If the GreenCow Biosolutions feed additive can reduce emissions from cattle by just 10% worldwide, this will mean a total reduction of approx. 3.5 times greater than Denmark’s total emission of greenhouse gases. And this goal is reachable with our scalable solution!
1: UN Environment Programme, Emission Gap Report 2019, page 24
Founded on the Shoulders of Former Successes
Founders
Ebbe Busch Larsen
is an entrepreneur and businessman who has owned and founded global companies: Norvidan, manufacturer of process control systems for industrial feed factories, which are installed in over 70 countries. Founder of Unibio A/S, which today is an internationally operating company for the conversion of natural gas (methane) into single-cell protein.
Professor Christen Sørensen
is a shareholder in GreenCow Biosolutions and formerly chairman of the board of Unibio A/S, with previous positions of trust including in the Danish Economic Council and the Copenhagen Stock Exchange.
Daily Management
COO
Hans Eibe Sørensen, PhD.
manages the daily business in GreenCow Biosolutions with former experiences from biotech and food startups and management consulting.
Navigating the Field of Methane Reduction
Since the founding of GreenCow Biosolutions in 2019, the company’s activities have been concentrated on idea development and patent application, which is approved by the international Patent Cooperation Treaty with no. WO 2017/129576 A1. This has resulted in the patent being approved or under approval in: EU, USA, China, Russia, UK, Australia, Brazil, and Canada.
The broad research has so far primarily focused on reducing the formation of methane. Areas of focus include feeding, where e.g., starchy feed reduces H2 and thus methane. Several additives have an effect on methane formation, including nitrate, sulphate, certain (macro and micro) algae, garlic oil, certain lactic acid bacteria, 3-nitro-oxy-propanol (3NOP), as well as the much-discussed “X” in the media, which allegedly works by inhibiting methane synthesis.
Another option that other research projects have pursued to reduce cattle’s methane emissions is to utilize the genetic element via breeding projects, as there is a large difference in cows’ methane emissions.
What is unique about the GreenCow project is: Created methane is removed (converted) by adding the methanotrophic bacterium Methylococcus capsulatus. The bacterium, harmless to humans and animals, is already used by UniBio A/S for single-cell protein production from methane by fermentation. The value consists in the fact that, in addition to reducing methane emissions, GreenCow also produces more bacterial culture, which provides a protein feed supplement, i.e., a unique double effect. In addition, CO2 emissions are also reduced via O2 extraction from M. capsulatus.
This fact supports our endeavor to achieve a circular economy as exemplified in the graphic above: “GreenCow in the Sustainable Symbiotic Landscape”, where a collaboration with Unibio (bacterial culture) and an oxygen supplier (e.g., Algiecel) is planned.
Milestone 1 (2024-2026): Achieve 75% methane reduction
In collaboration with the Department of Animal Science at Aarhus University (Foulum), feed additives with Methylococcus capsulatus are adjusted so that the bacteria’s productivity increases. The aim and expectation are to achieve an increase in methane reduction up to 75%.
Milestone 2 (2026-2027): Pilot plant at dairy cows
Alongside milestone 1, planning and construction of a pilot plant will begin, which will be located at a farmer with a large herd of dairy cows.
The Methane Reduction Market
The main target group is larger, conventional dairy farms with feeding systems – globally. It is important to emphasize that the GreenCow project is a global project. If, on a global level, e.g., succeed in reducing cattle methane emissions by 10% this corresponds to approx. 3 times the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Denmark measured in CO2 equivalent units.
The population of dairy cows is ~23 million in the EU6. GreenCow believe that our product line has the potential to develop a market share of >5% of all cows in this region at a revenue value of > € 60 M.
Competitors are other companies with feed additives for reducing methane evolution, including DSM and Novozymes, as well as companies in related sectors that work with reducing methane evolution, including Viking Genetic. In relation to this, the GreenCow project has a new and unique approach to reducing methane emissions from cattle; where our competitors largely work pre-formation of the methane, our solution is both pre- and post-formation of methane.
GreenCow Biosolutions has many unique selling points which differ from competing concepts and products:
1. Unique and patented effect by being able to reduce/remove the methane formed in the rumen
2. The methane is converted together with CO2 into biomass with a protein content that reduces the need for other concentrates
3. Attractive product composition that is both durable and that the cow takes up willingly
4. Natural, non-synthetic product
Whereas several solutions to mitigate ruminal GHG emission exist, none has been marketed to a commercial success – yet. This is due to the fact that the individual dairy (or feedlot) farmer has had no positive or negative incentive for reduction via a GHG “bonus” or “malus” system. But this is about to change:
Amongst others Arla Foods have launched large programs to monitor the GHG status of each individual dairy herd (bonus at 1 eurocent per litre), and emission pricing is being seriously contemplated in countries such as New Zealand. This will inevitably make room for a GHG-reduction market in the dairy sector with a substantial business potential.
Go-to-market
The commercialization of the GreenCow project has started:
Partly by adapting the design of the facility to the ongoing experience gained, although it must be mentioned that this is far advanced, we are working together with UniBio on this and can therefore draw on their many years of experience, where DTU has also been a very valuable collaboration partner,
Partly by starting marketing activities, where we make use of a framework we know and know works. The plan is to sell licenses with associated patents so that the product can be quickly distributed. Arla could, for example, be a possible license customer in relation to Scandinavia and the EU, etc. Arla is familiar with this.
Partly by continuing the research collaboration with Aarhus University, just as other research institutions can be involved if this is deemed appropriate, as the final goal is – also outside the research area, i.e. with the farmer – to reach close to a total reduction of methane emissions.