Methane Dairy Agriculture Life cycle Techno-economic Greenhouse gasses Climate change
Abstract:
Biofilters, columns of support media colonized by methane oxidizing microbial communities,
can be used to mitigate low-concentration methane. While pilot-scale biofilters show potential,
little is known about their effectiveness when scaled up. Not enough research has been
conducted on their environmental and economic feasibility to effectively put biofilters to
widespread use. This thesis explores the application of methane biofiltration on dairy farms
in Pennsylvania through a life cycle and techno-economic analysis. Results of this research
reveal that methane biofiltration may reduce total dairy farm greenhouse gas emissions by
23% if applied to treat enteric and manure-related methane, and the cost of this reduction
may range from $56-$123 per metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent mitigated.
