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Regassing one of the tractors at Leckford Estate © Mark MacKenzie Waitrose has become the first UK retailer to use renewable natural gas produced from cows at its own farm to power its

tractors. Manure produced by the 500 cattle kept at Leckford Estate, near Stockbridge, Hampshire, is harvested and upgraded on site, producing fugitive biomethane, which fuels the machinery.

The lagoon facility has been designed and built by Cornwall-based clean energy expert Bennamann, in conjunction with New Holland, to provide a sustainable fuel source. See also: How a dairy

is harvesting methane to save on diesel costs The covered lagoon – the size of two and a half Olympic swimming pools – holds the energy-rich fluid separated from farmyard manure. Solid

material is extracted as a digestate which is rich in nutrients and can be used as a fertiliser. The fluid which enters the lagoon emits gases, including methane. As the decomposition

process happens, these are trapped and processed in the system to produces biomethane, which powers the compressed natural gas (CNG) tractors. James Bailey, executive director of Waitrose,

said: “Two years ago we challenged ourselves to use Leckford as an experiment in farming best practices, to pave the way for genuine solutions to help conserve our soil, air and water for

the future generations, and our biomethane lagoon does just that – an innovative example to help our farm, and hopefully other farms, reach net zero.” Waitrose says the switch to biomethane

for tractors at Leckford will reduce carbon emissions by up to 1,300t a year as it works towards reaching net zero greenhouse gases across its own operations by 2035 and the entire supply

chain by 2050.