AN open day for dairy farmers is taking place at Dillington Estate in Somerset next week. 

The Biolectric Micro-AD Open Day will explore how micro-anaerobic digestion (AD) technology can be used. It will take place at Knott Oak Dairy in Ilminster on Monday, November 4. 

Dairy farmers will have the opportunity to see one of Biolectric’s micro-AD systems in action and learn how it can help improve farm profitability, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance energy efficiency.

Knott Oak Dairy is a net-zero farm that robotically milks cows on the Dillington Estate. The open day will demonstrate how the farm is using micro-AD technology to process manure and turn it into renewable electricity, while also cutting down the use of inorganic fertilisers.

READ MORE: AHDB's Strategic Dairy Farms in the south west revealed

READ MORE: Shindig Festival's last edition at Dillington Estate

The event is free, but you must register your interest. To do so, click here. 

Joseph Fayolle, UK & Ireland manager for Biolectric, said: “At the open day we’ll explore the big environmental gains from processing slurry in a micro-AD plant, which can cut a farm's greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 82%. 

"But there’s financial benefits too. With margins becoming tighter and more pressured on dairy farms, there’s a real cashflow benefit to protecting against price spikes and having a known cost per kW power.

“Farmers will also learn how the AD system produces high quality fertiliser in the form of digestate, which can help reduce input costs and improve soil health. Overall, we estimate that having a micro-AD unit on farm can add up to 5p per litre when all benefits are considered.”