FrieslandCampina is teaming up with transport companies in the Netherlands and Germany to make milk collection "more sustainable".

FrieslandCampina, which is one of the largest dairy co-operatives in the world, wants to switch around half its fleet to biomethane-powered trucks across the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany in the coming years.

What makes this approach particularly important for farmers is that some of the biomethane (bio-CNG) the co-op will use is produced from manure through anaerobic digestion.

Milk collection

In Germany, FrieslandCampina member dairy farm Barver Landmilch in Lower Saxony is already an enthusiastic partner.

The dairy farm produces biomethane using its own manure digester and has refuelling facilities on site.

This means that any milk trucks collecting milk in the region will also be able to refuel at the farm with locally produced bio-CNG. 

According to Marcel Ebbelaar, manager milk logistics and transport at FrieslandCampina, the strength of bio-CNG is that it creates "a direct link between our member dairy farmers and our logistics operations".

Ebbelaar added: "In future, milk can be transported using fuel that is partly produced by our own member dairy farms.

"It shows how collaboration within the cooperative can contribute to making our operations more sustainable.”  

Biomethane

But could this also prove to be an attractive option for Irish co-ops?

The biomethane sector is, according to the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment "building momentum in Ireland, with seven anaerobic digestion plants recently completed or under construction".

Last week Taoiseach Micheál Martin officially opened Gas Networks Ireland’s (GNI's) new €32 million central grid injection facility in Mitchelstown, Co. Cork.

The Cork facility has the capacity to receive renewable gas produced from farm and food waste, and is the first of its kind in both Ireland and Europe according to GNI.

Under the GRAZE (Green Renewable Agricultural Zero Emissions) gas project, which is led by GNI, there grants are now available to support fleet operators and hauliers move from diesel to bio-CNG.

The €750,000 is expected to fund up to 75 new gas vehicles.

Separately this week Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O'Brien,opened an "Expression of Interest (EOI)" process for the government's €200 million Biomethane Capital Grant Scheme.

The EOI process invites prospective developers to submit information on projects that may be eligible for support under the scheme.