By Andrew Joseph, Farms.com
AUGA group, AB of Lithuania, said it has developed the first ever green tractor, running a hybridization of biomethane fuel-electric energy to produce a cleaner food chain by reducing GHG emissions.
The hybrid AUGA M1 tractor uses methane collected from livestock and converts it to biomethane emitting fewer GHG emissions during its production cycle than it emits.
According to AUGA, its new technology resolves two key issues previously preventing it from being used professionally: refueling and infrastructure.
Previous attempts at developing a biomethane-powered tractor were stymied by a short operating period of between two to four hours mostly because gas cylinders could not physically fit within a tractor’s structure.
However, the AUGA M1 tractor is designed to house larger biomethane cylinders, allowing it to perform for up to 12 hours.
The biomethane fuel powers an internal combustion engine that generates energy, transmitting it to the electric motors that move the tractor’s wheels.
When operating under non-high-powered conditions, the tractor stores generated energy reserve in it batteries to avoid energy loss. When power is needed, the small engine can still provide the necessary energy to perform the work.
As for refuelling infrastructure, AUGA instead offers tractor users a quick changing gas cartridge replacement.
While still a new creation of AUGA, the company is preparing to begin larger-scale production of its cleaner tractor technology.
Photo courtesy of AUGA group