Volta Greentech reports methane emissions inhibition breakthrough
Additionally, a recent financing round saw Volta secure 32 million SEK (US$3 million), bringing the company’s total funding to 100 million SEK.
The startup's major investors include two of Sweden’s leading food companies: the Axel Johnson Group (owner of Axfood and Martin & Servera) and KF (owner of Coop Sverige), which together have a combined market share of 40% of the Swedish food retail market.
After initially focusing on utilizing the red algae Asparagopsis as an ingredient to reduce methane emissions, Volta reveals it has now achieved a breakthrough in developing a second-generation additive.
The company has fully transitioned to this new additive, driven by very promising R&D outcomes. The enthusiasm surrounding the new additive stems from its reduced cost and potential for scalability, enabling greater methane reduction and contributing significantly to meeting climate goals, said Fredrik Åkerman, Volta Greentech’s CEO.
In terms of its discovery, the startup had been conducting exploratory R&D to identify new ingredients for use as methane blockers: “Although we cannot disclose the specific ingredients yet, the mode of action in the rumen to inhibit methane production is similar to that of the red algae Asparagopsis and the additive Bovaer (3-NOP),” he told FeedNavigator.
Lome (gen2) is incorporated into concentrate feed pellets, making the transition to low methane feed quite straightforward, continued the CEO.
"This additive offers a low-cost, scalable solution, vastly outperforming our previous algae-based product," remarked Åkerman.
Regulatory pathway
Volta aims to deliver Lome (gen2) at scale to customers by 2026, pending EU regulatory approval.
“We are making swift progress in preparing our application for regulatory approval in Europe for zootechnical feed additives.
"The regulatory framework for obtaining approval to enter the European market with innovative feed additives is well established, which is beneficial as it ensures that only products proven to be efficient and safe for animals, workers, and the environment can enter the market. This stringent process helps maintain high standards of safety and efficacy, which aligns with our commitment to delivering superior and sustainable solutions,” explained the CEO.
Volta is currently producing Lome (gen2) at its demonstration unit in Sweden. “As we approach regulatory approval, we will begin expanding production.”
Data modelling
The company is also developing a platform for data modelling and traceability to support the measurement, reporting, and verification of enteric methane emissions.
“Our pilots – with Coop, Orkla, Hemköp, Protos, and Martin & Servera - focused on demonstrating the practical use of methane-reducing feed additives on beef farms and how to measure, report, and verify emission reductions. We also built public awareness by selling limited edition Lome beef (low methane) in 20 supermarket stores. Customer and consumer feedback was positive.”
As a Sweden-based company with global ambitions, he said the aim is to expand its reach and impact worldwide, promoting sustainability in agriculture on a global scale.
