Key Takeaways
- Ambient Carbon’s Methane Eradication Photochemical System (MEPS) removed up to 90% of methane from dairy barn ventilation air.
- Large-scale trial conducted at Hofmansgave Foundation farm in Denmark, processing emissions from a 250-cow barn.
- Technology targets dilute methane concentrations below 1000 ppm, common in livestock housing.
- MEPS also removes ammonia, reduces odors, and generates fertilizer as a by-product.
- Partners include Danone North America, Benton Group Dairies, and research institutions under the PERMA Project.
Ambient Carbon Validates MEPS Technology at Commercial Scale
Ambient Carbon has announced the successful large-scale field demonstration of its Methane Eradication Photochemical System (MEPS), marking the first real-world validation of a scalable method to remove dilute methane emissions from livestock barn air. Methane from livestock accounts for roughly 30% of global anthropogenic methane emissions, with dairy cattle producing about half of that share.
The trial took place at the Hofmansgave Foundation farm in Denmark, where MEPS, housed in a 40-foot shipping container, treated ventilation air from a 250-cow open-sided dairy barn.
Ambient Carbon’s Field Trial Results and Performance
According to Matthew S. Johnson, Co-founder & Chief Science Officer at Ambient Carbon, “The system successfully oxidized methane from dairy barn ventilation air across varying concentration levels, proving that MEPS can deliver consistent performance under real agricultural conditions with co-pollutants present. Across the initial tests, up to 90% of inlet air methane was eradicated over a methane concentration range of 4.3 ppm to 44 ppm.”
The MEPS system uses chlorine radicals activated by UV LED arrays to break down methane. It operates without disrupting cow comfort, milk production, or barn operations, and its modular design allows adaptation for various barn sizes.
Industry Support and On-Farm Collaboration
Danone North America supported the field trial, aligning with its commitment to regenerative agriculture. “We’re very pleased with these initial results, as there is a great need for regenerative agriculture technologies like MEPS to strengthen the future of farming,” said Jessie Copeland, Head of Regenerative Agriculture at Danone North America.
Benton Dairies, a Danone supplier, is working with Ambient Carbon to further validate MEPS in operational dairy settings. Chris Williams, Conservation Lead at Benton Dairies, noted: “MEPS is a non-invasive technology that will remove more methane from our farms than any available technology we’ve encountered.”
Environmental Benefits and Commercial Roadmap
Beyond methane removal, MEPS reduces ammonia and odors while producing fertilizer as a by-product, potentially lowering farm costs.
Dave Kenney, CEO of Ambient Carbon, stated: “Proving that MEPS technology works at scale is absolutely crucial in our journey to deliver a commercial solution in 2026. This field demonstration validates our approach and shows that we can achieve the performance metrics needed for widespread adoption across the agricultural sector.”
While initially focused on dairy barns, Ambient Carbon says MEPS could be applied to other methane sources such as covered manure storage, biogas plants, and wastewater treatment facilities.
Ambient Carbon’s Project Partners
The trial was conducted with the Hofmansgave Foundation and PERMA Project partners, including Arla, the University of Copenhagen, Aarhus University, and SKOV, with support from Innovation Fund Denmark through AgriFoodTure.
