Unilever, a global leader in consumer goods, is taking a remarkable step towards environmental sustainability by teaming up with the German company GEA to implement a groundbreaking solution known as the ProManure E2950 manure enricher. This innovative partnership aims to enhance the production of eco-friendly ice cream ingredients while significantly reducing carbon emissions in the dairy industry.
GEA’s ProManure E2950 manure enricher will be installed on four dairy farms that supply milk to Unilever, marking the initial phase of this transformative collaboration. These farms, located in the Netherlands, will serve as testing grounds for the new system. Over the course of one year, the data collected from these installations will be meticulously analyzed to gauge their impact on Unilever’s carbon footprint.
The strategic alliance between Unilever and GEA is focused on evaluating and expanding the potential of the ProManure E2950 system to substantially curtail greenhouse gas emissions throughout the milk production process. By doing so, Unilever is taking bold strides towards enhancing sustainability across its entire value chain.
The ProManure E2950 system represents a groundbreaking advancement in climate-conscious milk and food production, utilizing only air and electricity. GEA’s innovative technology empowers dairy farms to produce organic fertilizer in an environmentally friendly manner, harnessing the potential of their livestock slurry, air, and electricity. By leveraging pioneering plasma technology, the system introduces nitrogen from the air into the manure. Additionally, it maximizes nutrient utilization on the farm, reducing ammonia losses—typically encountered during storage and field application—by an impressive 95%, according to GEA’s claims.
A key feature of the ProManure E2950 system is its ability to provide nutrients, including increased nitrogen, directly to plants in a precise and immediate manner, thus promoting robust plant growth. GEA asserts that this technology can lead to a remarkable increase in crop yield of up to 40% compared to untreated manure. Moreover, the process eliminates methane emissions from manure storage. These combined effects can yield up to a 30% reduction in a farm’s overall carbon footprint, underscoring the system’s potential to revolutionize sustainability practices.
Eric Soubeiran, Managing Director of Unilever’s Climate and Nature Fund, emphasizes the role of technology and innovation in driving decarbonization within the dairy industry. Soubeiran lauds the partnership between Unilever, four dairy farmers from CONO Kaasmakers, and GEA as a prime example of circular farm management. By embracing this technological solution, Unilever aligns with its regenerative strategy, enabling a substantial reduction in the carbon footprint of its dairy ingredients and delivering more sustainable products to consumers.
This groundbreaking initiative receives support from Unilever’s Climate & Nature Fund, a dedicated commitment to invest €1 billion by 2030 in meaningful climate, nature, and resource efficiency projects. The goal is to reshape the entire lifecycle of Unilever’s products, from production to disposal, through innovative and environmentally responsible practices.
Peter Lauwers, CEO of GEA Farm Technologies, underscores the company’s global mission to empower dairy farmers with sustainable solutions that future-proof their operations. Lauwers acknowledges the significance of Unilever’s endorsement and collaboration in advancing GEA’s innovative solutions. As a leading system supplier in the food industry and a pioneer of sustainable change, GEA is fully dedicated to partnering with Unilever in promoting circular farming through the transformative ProManure E2950 manure enricher solution.