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Danone combats methane emissions with digesters
French food giant Danone wants to invest heavily in the coming years in limiting methane emissions from dairy farms. Among other things, it wants to provide 6.500 companies with mainly small-scale biodigesters. As part of the new plan, the partnership with FrieslandCampina will also be expanded, the company reports.
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The aim of this specific partnership is for FrieslandCampina farmers to reduce methane emissions by 2030 must be reduced by 44% compared to 2020. However, this is not yet the crowning achievement. A partnership with the American Leprino includes a 50% reduction in methane emissions compared to 2020. However, Leprino's suppliers have done very little to reduce CO2 emissions and often have open-air storage facilities. With the help of modified installations with extensive filters and the use of worms, up to 90% emission reduction can be achieved in manure storage in some situations.
FrieslandCampina and Leprino involve a relatively small number of companies. The largest numbers Danone wants to score in Morocco, Mexico and India. According to the plan, relatively small dairy farmers there must set up up to 6.500 biodigesters. Morocco will account for the largest share with 4.000 digesters. The participating farmers not only help the environment, but also benefit themselves. Fewer nutrients for the crop are lost, water is used more efficiently and ultimately there are considerable cost savings.
In these countries, the process of obtaining permits is generally much simpler than in the Netherlands, for example, and the requirements are also less strict.