To support methane-reduction goals in livestock, ABB reported May 22 that it will supply automation and electrical systems to animal nutrition and health specialist dsm-firmenich. The company is developing a cattle feed additive facility at its facility in Dalry, Scotland, about 40 km west of Glasgow. ABB’s solutions are expected to improve the site’s engineering efficiency, operator effectiveness and asset utilization.
The facility will increase global production of Bovaer, dsm-firmenich’s methane-reducing feed additive for cows and cattle that’s been researched and developed for more than 15 years. The company claims a quarter teaspoon of Bovaer per cow, per day can reduce enteric methane emissions by an average of 30% for dairy cows and an average of 45% for feedlot beef cattle, contributing to a significant reduction in the environmental footprint of dairy and beef products.
ABB added that almost 600 million tonnes of methane are released into the atmosphere every year, with the livestock sector contributing 32% of all methane emissions. Reducing these is crucial to keeping global warming below the 1.5 °C target outlined in the U.N.’s longstanding Paris agreement.
“Bovaer has already been used for more than two years by farmers in several markets, with a total methane reduction of up to 300,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). This facility will be the first large-scale production plant for Bovaer, and we’re looking forward to widening our collaboration with the entire dairy and beef value chain to reduce emissions and make a positive contribution in the fight against climate change,” said Mark van Nieuwland, SVP for Bovaer at dsm-firmenich. “Using ABB’s automation expertise shows how we can accelerate expansion and adoption of Bovaer to decrease methane emissions on a large scale and support global efforts to combat climate change.”
The project extends an existing partnership between the two companies, and ABB will supply all automation hardware and software including the ABB Ability System 800xA distributed control system. The scope of work also includes IT and OT networks, cybersecurity, process CCTV systems, and electric motor control centers and variable speed drives (VSD). ABB’s site work is due to complete by November 2025, when the facility is scheduled to start up.
“With 60% of global methane emissions coming from human activities, reductions are essential to reach the world's climate change targets,” added Per Erik Holsten, president of ABB Energy Industries. “We’re proud to be working on a project that will reduce anthropogenic methane emissions.”
Methane is the second-largest contributor to global warming after carbon dioxide, and while it traps more heat, it has a shorter lifespan of up to 12 years in the atmosphere. This makes tackling methane a powerful lever. More than 150 countries have signed the Global Methane Pledge, agreeing to reduce global methane emissions by at least 30% by 2030.
Bovaer is commercially available in more than 65 countries worldwide, including across Europe, U.K., U.S., Australia, Brazil, Chile, Japan and South Korea. It’s been tested in more than 130 farm trials in more than 20 countries, resulting in more than 80 peer-reviewed scientific publications.
