In 2021, we created a prototype of the AUGA M1, the world’s first biomethane and electric tractor for professional use. Why biomethane? It’s one of the greenest fuel sources, offsetting more emissions per unit of energy in the production and use cycle than it itself emits. And most importantly, we can produce it on our farms from plant remains and cow manure. In other words, our cow gas is the fuel for our tractors. In Lithuania, we’ve developed and patented new technologies that make it possible to use this fuel in practice in a specially designed tractor.

In early 2023, we delivered a production version of the AUGA M1 and the first production batch of such tractors. We wanted the tractors, which were designed by Lithuanian engineers, to be assembled here in our country. This tractor can save 114.26 tonnes of CO2e emissions per year compared to a tractor powered by fossil fuel. For comparison: during the busy season, the AUGA M1 will save as much emissions in 1 month as the average car using conventional fuel emits in 5-6 years. We rarely think about how much fuel is consumed and how much emissions are produced by agricultural machinery. The ability to move away from fossil fuels on farms is a technological breakthrough that allows us to move towards significant emission reductions in the production of all AUGA products. Three tractors from the first production batch are being tested in AUGA fields.

A quarter of the emissions from our operations come from the digestive processes of cattle. That is why we have been developing specialised feed technology for some time that will reduce emissions in this area. We have carried out tests on the technology, the results of which and their validity have been evaluated by scientists at the Veterinary Academy of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. In 2023, they confirmed that the specialized feed technology we have developed allows us to increase milk yield without affecting milk quality. Additionally, it helps to reduce methane emissions per liter of raw milk from cows’ digestive processes by 32%. The prototype technology is being further developed for large-scale application on farms.