Dutch Government grants €130m subsidy for manure monofermentation at dairy farms

The Netherlands Government has provided a €130m SDE+ subsidy to Cooperative Jumpstart for the installation of 103 manure monofermentation systems at dairy farms in the country.

Cooperative Jumpstart was established by the Dutch dairy cooperative FrieslandCampina, which intends to use this subsidy towards CO₂ emission reduction as well as climate-neutral growth in 2020.

Cooperative Jumpstart currently has 68 candidates for membership, who will be eligible for the SDE+ subsidy granted by the government.

Manure monofermentation helps to decrease greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the methane volume and generating green energy.

Various manure monofermentation systems are currently being used that match with the size of the farm and make it possible to achieve outdoor grazing objectives.

Initially, the cooperative will be using only selected manure monofermentation systems in order to demonstrate to dairy farmers that the performance of systems will meet technical and economic expectations. The other systems will be installed from next year.

FrieslandCampina will also be using a portion of green energy generated through manure monofermentation to meet power requirements at its production locations and offices in the Netherlands.

The installation of 103 manure monofermentation systems will see a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by more than 70,000t of CO₂ equivalents.

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Image: Dairy farmer Heeg in front of the first monofermentation system at dairy farm Sassinga in Hinnaard. Photo: courtesy of FrieslandCampina.