S. Korea Seeks to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions of 1.1 Million Vehicles by Using Cattle Manure-based Solid Fuels

Sejong, 29 November 2024 — The Korean government has set the goal of reaching the level of 4,000 tonnes of livestock (cattle) manure-based solid fuels being used per day starting from 2030. Under this goal, the Korean government is stepping up its efforts to reach the capacity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions every year by the amount (1.6 million tonnes per year) equivalent to that emitted by 1.1 million vehicles starting from 2030. 

On 8 November, at the headquarters of NH NongHyup Card in Seoul, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA), the Ministry of Environment (MOE), Korea Southern Power Co., Ltd. (KOSPO), and NongHyup Agribusiness Group Inc. signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for cooperation to promote the use of livestock manure-based solid fuels.

The MoU is based on the signing participants’ shared understanding of the need to promote a wide use of livestock manure-based solid fuels among power stations and other facilities. This is because a larger use of such fuels can help cut down the burning of fossil fuels that generates greenhouse gas emissions, leading to environmental pollution; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and improve the quality of water and prevent algal blooms in the areas of river systems. 

Most of cattle excretions go through the process of becoming manure, and this process generates greenhouse gas emissions. Also, cattle excretions accumulated on land near a stream are washed away by runoffs into rivers and streams, which gives rise to algal blooms. However, solid fuels produced from cattle excretions can replace fossil fuels, which helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prevents algal blooms

Under the MoU, the MAFRA, the MOE, and the government-run enterprises will make continued efforts to expand solid fuel production facilities, improve the quality of solid fuels, and increase demand, under the goal of reaching the the level of 4,000 tonnes in solid fuels being used per day starting from 2030. This means an annual reduction of 1.6 million tonnes in greenhouse gas emissions, as well as an improvement in water quality and the prevention of algal blooms. 

Vice Minister Park Beomsu of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said: “Korea Southern Power’s use of solid fuels for power generation is the first case of such use in a large industrial facility. This will serve as a signal for the rise in use of solid fuels in industries. We will work closely with the MoU signing participants to improve the quality of solid fuels to ensure that solid fuels can be stably used in industries.”