Ambient Carbon Destroys 90% Of Dairy Barn Methane In Field Trial

First-of-a-kind MEPS system achieves breakthrough performance, eradicating dairy barn methane in large-scale trial

A groundbreaking field demonstration of the Methane Eradication Photochemical System (MEPS) has successfully proven that dilute methane emissions from dairy barns can be effectively eliminated at commercial scale. The field trial represents the first real-world validation of a scalable technology capable of eradicating methane emissions from livestock barn air.

Methane has 84 times more global warming potential than carbon dioxide when measured over a 20-year period. Livestock emit approximately 30% of worldwide anthropogenic methane, with dairy cattle generating half of those emissions, highlighting the importance of the MEPS system in supporting the dairy industries journey to net zero.

The large-scale field trial was conducted at the Hofmansgave Foundation farm in Denmark, where the MEPS unit, housed in a standard 40-foot shipping container, processed air samples from a 250-cow open-sided dairy barn. This marks a significant scale-up from the previous laboratory prototype, demonstrating the technology’s viability for commercial deployment.

Methane destroyed in real-world conditions
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.”

Supported by dairy company and dairy farmer
Danone North America’s support was instrumental in enabling this large-scale field trial, reflecting the company’s commitment to investing in innovation that both ensures the longevity of farms and strengthens the supply chain and viability of U.S. agriculture. Ambient Carbon is also working closely with Benton Group Dairies, an important Danone North America supplier, to validate MEPS performance in real-world dairy operations.

“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. “The success in Denmark paves the way for further strategic collaborations between Danone North America and Ambient Carbon, reinforcing our shared commitment to enhancing farmer and supply chain resiliency—and building a future where the food system can thrive.”

“Benton Dairies places a substantial emphasis on conservation”, said Chris Williams, Conservation Lead at Benton Dairies. “We are committed to increasing our positive environmental influence while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. MEPS is a non-invasive technology that will remove more methane from our farms than any available technology we’ve encountered. We are excited to work alongside Ambient Carbon to push the boundaries of what sustainable milk production can be.”

In addition to destroying methane, MEPS removes ammonia and other odors from the dairy barn, while also generating fertilizer as a by-product that can be utilized to decrease the farm’s operating costs. MEPS’ closed-loop circular technology creates resource efficiency, generates valuable by-products and minimizes barn exhaust air to sterile water vapor.

Commercial pathway established
“Proving that MEPS technology works at scale is absolutely crucial in our journey to deliver a commercial solution in 2026, “said Dave Kenney, CEO of Ambient Carbon. “This field demonstration validates our approach and shows that we can achieve the performance metrics needed for widespread adoption across the agricultural sector. Support from partners like Danone has been essential in reaching this pivotal moment.”

MEPS is the only highly effective, commercially viable solution for eradicating methane emissions below 1000 ppm, concentrations that are typically found in dairy barns.

The MEPS system uses a novel patented gas-phaseal process to break down methane using chlorine radicals activated by UV LED arrays. As a completely non-invasive solution, MEPS does not affect cows, cow comfort, milk production, or barn operations, and the technology’s modular design allows for deployment at various sized dairy barns. In addition, the business model is supported across the dairy supply chain, driving value and profit back to the farmer. MEPS does not require any government funding or subsidies.

Broader Applications
While the current field trial focused on enteric methane from dairy barns, the MEPS system can be applied to other sources of dilute methane emissions, including covered manure storage facilities, biogas plants, and wastewater treatment plants, significantly expanding its potential climate impact.

MEPS Collaboration Partners
The field trial was conducted through collaboration between Ambient Carbon, Danone North America, Hofmansgave Foundation, and PERMA Project partners Arla, the University of Copenhagen, Aarhus University, and SKOV, with additional support from Innovation Fund Denmark for the PERMA project via AgriFoodTure.