Heat a house with the warmth of the milk.

Our member dairy farmers are proud of their farms. Of many generations of experience, of milk as good nutrition and of working with animals and nature. And of which steps they take for a sustainable future. Because FrieslandCampina goes for climate-neutral dairy. Dairy farmer Jan Pieter van Tilburg passionately tells us about the efforts he takes to achieve this.

“I think green energy is great. The last few years, I substantially invested in making our dairy farm energy-efficient. To given an example, we heat our house with the warmth of the milk. In 2016, I shut off the gas valve to stay closed for ever. We generate electricity for our own farm as well as for the people living in the village. I think it is our, the dairy farmers', duty to help reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases. I really want to implement every improvement that I can possibly make as a dairy farmer.”

Electricity for the village

“By now, we have over 1000 solar panels on the roofs of our sheds and two small windmills (about 15 metres high, ed.). For instance, we use this sustainably generated electricity to power our electric shovel (machine for moving earth, ed.). This enables us to feed our cows using our own electricity. Instead of using 5000 litres of diesel oil, we now use 8000 KWh of electricity. The surplus of the electricity we generate goes to the people living here in the village. Often neighbours take action against the installation of windmills when they will not profit from them themselves. Now they see the mill running for their own energy.”

I think it is my duty as a dairy farmer to help reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases.

Electric car

“Presently, I also electrically mix our manure. This saves diesel and also reduces the CO2 emissions. Additionally, we changed our petrol-fuelled quad for an electric one and I replaced our car with an all-electric car. In order to reduce the emissions of other greenhouse gases, we are currently experimenting with cooling manure. Cooling the manure is to slow down the conversion processes. This may have a positive effect on the emissions of ammonia and methane."

Raise the sustainability level

“The nice thing is that all these investments are cost-effective. Reduction of CO2 emissions goes hand in hand with better business results. What other plans do I have to make my farm even more sustainable? I want an electric grass-mower and even more electric manure mixers. And perhaps, for the long term, an electric tractor and produce hydrogen myself.”

Thanks to the fact that a lot of our members generate energy through sun and wind, there is by now enough clean electricity to provide our production locations in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany on fine days. Klaas Vos, Global Sustainability Manager Supply Chain, tells more about this in this story.