New Zealand’s leading poultry producer, Inghams Enterprises, is partnering in world-first research to create animal nutrition from greenhouse geothermal gases.
With poultry brands including Waitoa Free Range and Bostock Brothers organic chicken, Inghams NZ is proud to be a part of this pioneering research, the results of which could support the decarbonisation of animal feed industries, reduce Inghams’ reliance on imported animal feed, as well as the cost of carbon emissions for geothermal companies that adopt the system.
The research focuses on a system that involves biomass being created when micro-organisms feed off greenhouse gas emissions captured from geothermal power stations, such as those used to generate electricity in the central North Island. The biomass produced is made up of several potentially commercially valuable components, including protein for animal feed.
Greg Bannon, Head of Strategy for Inghams New Zealand, says Inghams is excited about being a key industry partner in the research project and the potential benefits from the project.
“If the research is successful, New Zealand would be the first country in the world to pioneer biomass feedstock production from Aotearoa’s abundant geothermal resources. The benefits of a decarbonised food production alternative would significantly help reduce our Scope 3 emissions,” said Bannon.
With approximately $5 million of funding, Upflow, a Rotorua-based geothermal consultancy, and its partners will progress to a pilot plant phase to research how two micro-organisms – a bacterium and an alga – can be used together to convert carbon dioxide and methane into a protein-rich biomass.
The four-year research project will be the first in the world to pioneer biomass feedstock production from greenhouse gases and robust micro-organisms that thrive in the extreme conditions found at geothermal sites. If successful, this research would be an important contributor to the possible creation of a new biomass feedstock manufacturing industry in New Zealand, which could be worth an estimated $500 million per annum by 2045.
The New Zealand Government is co-investing $2.49 million in the research programme, alongside the project owner Tauhara North No.2 Trust, through the Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures Partnership (SFFF). SFFF supports problem-solving and innovation in New Zealand’s food and fibre sector by co-investing in initiatives that make a positive and lasting difference.
