Geothermal Heat Pumps for Slurry Cooling and Farm Heating: Impact and Carbon Footprint Reduction in Pig Farms

Abstract

The pig farm sector has been developing rapidly over recent decades, leading to an increase in the production of slurry and associated environmental impacts. Breeding farms require the maintenance of adequate indoor thermal environments, resulting in high energy demands that are frequently met by fossil fuels and electricity. Farm heating systems and the storage of slurry constitute considerable sources of polluting gases. There is thus a need to highlight the advantages that new green heating solutions can offer to reduce the global environmental impact of pig farming. This research presents an overview of alternative pig farm slurry technology, using geothermal heat pumps, which reduces the harmful effects of slurry and improves the energy behavior of farms. The results reflect the environmental benefits of this solution in terms of reducing carbon and hydric footprints. Reducing the temperature of slurry with the geothermal heat pump of the system also reduces the annual amount of greenhouse gases and ammonia emissions, and, via the heat pump, slurry heat is used for installation heating. Annual emissions of CO2e could be reduced by more than half, and ammonia emissions could also experience a significant reduction if the slurry technology is installed. Additional advantages confirm the positive impact that the expansion of this renewable technology could have on the global pig farm sector.