CH4 Global, a US-headquartered company with operations in Australia and New Zealand, is pioneering a new era of low-methane beef and dairy production. The company’s flagship feed additive, Methane Tamer™, leverages the power of Asparagopsis seaweed to deliver a guaranteed 70% reduction in enteric methane emissions from cattle.
Chief Executive Officer
CH4 Global
The stakes could not be higher when it comes to mitigating climate change, and 2024 is shaping up to be a pivotal year, particularly in the effort to curb methane emissions from animal agriculture. The COP28 climate negotiations late last year in Dubai marked a watershed moment, as world leaders for the first time formally acknowledged the urgent need to address the role livestock plays in warming the planet.
Methane, a potent greenhouse gas with a warming potential more than 80 times that of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, is a significant contributor to climate change. Livestock farming, particularly cattle production, is responsible for nearly a third of human-driven methane emissions globally. Coupled with the release of a landmark roadmap by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization showing how the agrifood sector can align with the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C, COP28 galvanized the scientific community, policymakers, and industry leaders to accelerate the development and deployment of high-impact solutions. The time for talk and incremental change is over; we urgently need transformative interventions to be adopted at scale.
CH4 Global was born five years ago with this very mission at its core. Today, as we enter the commercial market, our goals remain the same: impact at gigatonne scale before 2030, by drastically reducing enteric methane emissions from livestock.
©CH4 Global
Our initial product entry into the commercial market, Methane Tamer™ Beef Feedlot, leverages the unique properties of Asparagopsis seaweed, which has been shown across many research studies to mitigate enteric methane production without adverse impacts on animal health or food quality. Our first product is designed specifically for beef feedlot cattle, and when used at 0.5% of the daily diet, produces a guaranteed 70% reduction in enteric methane emissions. Our extensive formulation work to create Methane Tamer™ has validated product quality, reliability, stability and performance, ensuring consistent delivery of these benefits for our partners. Our second commercial product, due for market entry in early 2025, is uniquely designed for pasture-based dairy cows.
Scaling up the production of Asparagopsis seaweed to meet the demands of the livestock industry is no small feat. Growing the seaweed in land-based systems and processing it while preserving its methane-inhibiting properties presents unique challenges. However, the most significant hurdle lies in making this process economically viable. CH4 Global has made remarkable progress on this front, achieving a seven- to 10-fold reduction in production costs over the past two years through proprietary, IP-protected advancements in engineering and processing.
These breakthrough innovations have positioned CH4 Global to bring Methane Tamer™ to market at a price point that ensures profitability for both the company and the farmers who adopt it. For any methane-reduction solution to achieve widespread adoption and meaningful impact, it must make economic sense for farmers, without relying on government subsidies. By significantly lowering production costs, CH4 Global has created a scenario where farmers can see a net positive return on their investment in Methane Tamer™. This return is realized through a combination of higher prices for their low-methane beef, potential feed savings as the energy otherwise lost through methane production is redirected to the animals’ growth, and the potential for earning carbon credits. Together, these benefits make adopting Methane Tamer™ an attractive proposition for farmers, paving the way for large-scale adoption and substantial reductions in livestock methane emissions.
CH4 Global’s successes in driving down production costs have helped us secure more than USD 50 million, enabling our company not only to develop a viable commercial product but to also now build the world’s first commercial-scale manufacturing facility for Asparagopsis-based cattle feed supplements. That facility, which we call an EcoPark, is currently being constructed on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. Slated to be fully operational by year-end, the EcoPark will cultivate the seaweed in large, proprietary seawater ponds and process and formulate it into a stable, palatable feed supplement. The facility will have the capacity to profitably supply Methane Tamer™ for up to 30,000 cattle per day and will serve as the template for similar facilities to be built worldwide as we sign scaling agreements with commercial agrifood partners.
CH4 Global achieved another major milestone earlier this year with the first commercial deliveries of Methane Tamer™ to CirPro, an Australian cattle processor. The cattle that were fed the supplement over a 100-day period at a South Australian feedlot achieved the same weight gain as a control group while consuming less feed. The resulting reduced-methane beef, having met all welfare and quality requirements, is destined for supermarket shelves in South Australia, with exports of beef to commence later this year.
In June 2024, CH4 Global began shipping Methane Tamer™ to a subsidiary of South Korean conglomerate Lotte, marking an important expansion of our commercial reach and proof of viable implementation. Together, the CirPro and Lotte agreements are paving the way for global scaling partnerships; indeed, we are currently in advanced discussions for supply agreements for close to 10 million cattle.
The enteric methane mitigation industry, still in its early stages, is poised for rapid growth. The emerging market is exploring a diverse array of approaches, including physical devices, specialized feeds (such as grasses and grains), livestock breeding programs, various natural supplements, long-term vaccine projects, and innovative synthetic compounds. Each of these methods comes with its own timeline for market entry and varying levels of efficacy. By validating our solution’s technical, commercial, and financial feasibility, we believe it has the potential to integrate more easily into existing agricultural systems, positioning it as a frontrunner in the race to mitigate livestock methane emissions globally.
As CH4 Global continues to lead the charge, our early milestones serve as a promising foundation for the future. The impact of our solution, however, extends far beyond these initial achievements. If Methane Tamer™ were to be adopted for only 10% of the world’s cattle, it would deliver more climate benefit than decommissioning up to 100 million fossil-fuel-powered cars. But achieving this potential requires building out a complete end-to-end supply chain from Asparagopsis cultivation to consumers’ plates. That’s CH4 Global’s aim as it pioneers a new era of low-methane beef and dairy production – by harnessing the power of seaweed.
About Steve Meller
CH4 Global CEO Steve Meller, PhD, is an Australian-born entrepreneur, investor, innovator, founder, and board advisor. He has had successful careers as an executive and as a research professor. Dr Meller founded CH4 Global in 2018, realizing the potential for Asparagopsis seaweed to reduce the methane output of ruminants. Dr Meller has created and scaled innovative sustainability solutions around waste, water, energy, and materials, which have made more than USD 20 billion in bottom-line profit while reducing carbon impact.
