First diesel tractor on biogas - Chicken and pig dung as fuel

30. March 2009

Tilling the land can now also more environment friendly and cheaper! Thanks to a kit to be built in, STEYR tractors can henceforth switch over on biogas drive. The biogas results from the dung of the pigs, poultry and cattle of the own farm. The first diesel tractor on biogas was presented on 23rd February 2009 in Linz (Upper Austria).

The existing diesel engine of the tractor is with the kit adapted for bivalent drive with diesel fuel and earth/biogas. Diesel fuel stays needed to start the engine. When the engine has been started, biogas is added to the air intake and the intake of diesel fuel is gradually diminished. If biogas fails, it is always possible to switch over on diesel. Aim of this for Europe unique project is the series production of biogas drives for tractors.

As well for agriculture and forestry as for communities the use of alternate fuels could be economically and ecologically interesting.

Biogas as fuel is CO²-neutral and therefore especially environment- and climate friendly. By switching on biogas the CO²- expulsion is lowered by 20% per run. Nitrogen oxide production is lowered by 17 %, fine dust by 19 % and the expulsion of hydrocarbons is reduced by 87 % and even 97 % less carbon monoxide. The farm can produce its own fuel from dung, liquid manure and naturally growing raw materials. Moreover, the dependence on the import of fossil fuels is lowered.

Additionally comes the price advantage. Thanks to the biogas-drive fuel cost can be reduced by a third.

The prototype of the CNG-kit was developed in Austria by the firm LuPower in cooperation with STEYR tractors and OÖ-Ferngas and is in first instance meant for the diesel tractor CVT 6195 CNG from Steyr.

LuPower at St. Andrä (Lungau) is specialized in alternate energies and STEYR tractors is the number one in Austria for tractors.

Gas supplier OÖ. Ferngas is with this project not working on a trial. The firm produces in Pucking already since 2006 biogas with the dung from 10000 poultry as has received therefore in the same year in Vacouver the Global Energy Award. According to Johann Grünberger of OÖ-Ferngas, there are in Europe already many agricultural biogas-installations, which mainly produce electrical energy. They will supply sufficient biogas for the tractors. Alone in Upper Austria there are more than 100 biogas-installations at farms
 Sources: LuPower , STEYR tractors and Austrian eco-news